How Social Media Can Affect Your Personal Injury Claim

February 27, 2020

You should always be cautious of what you post on social media. You may be showing evidence that could undermine your personal injury claim and will most likely be used against you by defense attorneys or insurance companies. This is primarily why it is important for you to think about whether or not it would be a good idea to post a selfie, status update, or a direct message on any of your social media platforms.

When an individual files a personal injury claim, they usually request for financial and emotional compensation, such as:

Medical expenses.
Lost wages.
Emotional distress.
Property damage.
Pain and suffering.

Once an individual claims they are experiencing sensational pain on any part of their body, they should be aware of how it may look on social media. For example, if you have made a statement in your claim about suffering a right leg injury due to the car accident you were involved in, but you are seen hiking in the photo you posted to Instagram, it will affect your personal injury case. You may only get away with this if you are using equipment, such as a wheelchair or crutches, to help you move. Otherwise, this image will be used against you.

Privacy is no longer a thing. No matter what you post or send to a friend, it could be used in a lawsuit to determine who will be granted compensation for damages that were caused by a collision. Insurance companies and defense attorneys will keep a close eye on any important information you release on your social media platforms. Text messages may not be used against you unless it has been publicly posted or seized for examination purposes if a warranty is administered.
To prevent yourself from falling into this type of situation, it is highly suggested for you to convert your social media accounts to private. This way, you will not have others, besides your friends and family, access your photos or status updates. You should also ask your friends and family to refrain from posting something that could negatively impact your personal injury claim. Keep this process going until the case has come to a full conclusion.

Here are some additional tips on how you can maximize your compensation for your personal injury case.

Get medical treatment. If you are suffering from any injuries due to the collision, you should seek immediate medical attention, regardless of how minor or severe the injury is. The doctor will have a medical record saved for this visit, in which you may use for your case.
Gather information. Take pictures or video footage of the scene of the accident. Make sure to include photos of your wound, as well. Additionally, you should record your incident in a diary or journal. You must include the date and time of the accident in the entry. If any witnesses were around, you should ask for their consent to give you their name(s) and phone number(s). If they say yes, proceed to write down their information. Lastly, if police officers were present after the accident, you should write down their name(s), badge number(s), and license plate number(s). It is recommended for you to also request for them to hand you a copy of the official police report.
Hire a personal injury attorney. Experienced personal injury attorneys will give you a significant amount of information on what you should and should not do after filing a claim. They will guide you in the right direction of winning a case.

West Coast Trial Lawyers Is Here To Help
If you are a victim of personal injury and would like to file a lawsuit against the individual at fault, West Coast Trial Lawyers has personal injury attorneys with extensive legal experience in handling cases relating to injuries, such as:

Our firm has a high success rate of winning over 5,000 personal injury cases. We do not have any financial risks involved in our services. To schedule a free, no-obligation consultation, please contact our 24/7 legal team by calling (213) 927-3700 or emailing [email protected]