After any type of accident, sources recommend that you don't speak to the other person's insurance adjuster without the consent or presence of your own attorney. You may inadvertently say or do things that implicate you as the guilty party, even if you're the victim in the accident. But there are some things you might not know or hear about that can also hurt your case, including going on social media soon after your accident. The other driver's insurer may twist or misinterpret what you say or do on your social media pages to avoid paying your settlement. Here's how you can hurt your case by going on social media and what you can do instead.
How Can Social Media Hurt You After Your Accident?
While social media platforms allow you to share things with other people, they may not be the best places to visit after your car accident, especially if you reported to the other driver's insurer that you have serious injuries. Serious injuries include concussions, bone fractures and internal bleeding. These types of injuries can limit your ability to move around, walk or even speak properly. If you decide to go on your social media pages to innocently let everyone know about your accident or injuries, it may harm your case if the other driver's insurer finds out about it.
Although it may seem unlikely that the insurer or their attorneys will check your social media pages after you file a claim, it might happen. Some insurers or their attorneys use Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms to find things they can use against claimants. The individuals may look for public pictures or posts that show the claimants as healthy or unaffected by their accidents, even if that's not the case. It's possible for the insurer's attorneys to send out friend requests to the claimants in order to access their private pages and obtain additional evidence.
If any of the things above happen to you, you may not receive the compensation or settlement you need to pay for your medical expenses.
How Can You Help Your Case Instead of Hurt It?
To avoid the complications above, it's a good idea that you wait until you get through your personal injury case and recover from your injuries to post on social media. If someone does post about your accident or injuries, request that they remove the information immediately. The other driver's legal representatives or insurance company may still try to use the information against you. In addition, if someone else, such as a friend or family member, checks your social media accounts and notices multiple new friend requests, ask the person to deny them.
Also, take steps to help your personal injury attorney win your case by attending your doctors' appointments as recommended, including physical therapy, surgeons and specialists. The documentation may help improve your chances of winning a good settlement. It may also prove to the insurer and their attorneys that your injury claim isn't false.
Finally, try to document everything you can about your injuries in a diary. For example, if you suffer from pain in the morning or during the night, write it down. Be sure to list the type of pain you have and the date and times the pain occurs. Give the diary to your attorney so that they can make copies of its contents. Your attorney may choose to attach the copies to your case file and present it to the other driver's insurer as evidence of your severe injuries.
For more information about your possible personal injury case or how social media can harm your case, consult with an attorney, such as Roberts Miceli LLP, today.
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