You were T-boned at an intersection last week and are recovering at home after your discharge from the hospital. Bored, you hop online and decide to tweet or update your IG or Facebook account with a new status.
You’d better rethink that decision. Social media posts can derail promising personal injury cases.
It’s better to go dark after your accident
Naturally, you want friends and family members to know that you survived your accident and want to keep them abreast of your recovery. But posting updates about your health and discussing your accident at all on social media simply invites the defendant’s counsel to peruse your posts for information they can use to limit or deny you settlement dollars.
Opposing counsel is not averse to dirty tricks
But, you might protest, all your posts are set to “friends only.” How could they even access them? Defense attorneys might send you a friend request from a beautiful woman or handsome guy in the hopes that you click and accept them. Then, they have access to all you post online.
How can my posts hurt me?
The problem that arises so frequently is that everyone tends to want to put their best self forward online. You may use filters on your phone or even Photoshop to improve your appearance. You only post photos that show you smiling and having a great time.
But those pictures and status updates that make it seem as if the world is your oyster do not reflect the true circumstances you currently face as a result of the injuries from your collision with an at-fault driver. They don’t show you grimacing in pain to walk the few steps to the portable commode or see you struggling to relearn simple tasks after a traumatic brain injury.
Discuss your social media usage with your personal injury attorney
Still unsure about going dark during the pendency of your case? Address the matter with your personal injury attorney to protect your right to receive compensation for your losses and damages.