As an injured victim involved in a pending personal injury claim, your social media choices can directly affect the outcome of your case. It is strongly advised to discuss social media “do’s and don’ts” with a seasoned accident attorney who can give you proper guidance on how to conduct yourself on popular sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and more, without compromising your rights to compensation.

Continue reading for some brief advice on this topic, as well as, who to call for trusted personal injury representation and counsel after being hurt in an accident.

Social media is a very popular and common hobby for many people all across the world. Such sites allow you to put personal information online, including your photos, your history, your residence, your location, and more. Although social media is fun and makes it easy to communicate with those in your life, it can also be quite risky. This is especially true for anyone involved in a pending legal case or lawsuit.

Social media posts can now sometimes be permitted to be used as evidence in legal cases since they are accounts and paper trails of part of a person’s life. For instance, if a person is being charged with a crime but insists they have an alibi, they could use a social media posting or photo to prove they were in fact, not at the scene of the crime they are suspected of committing.

However, in the case of a personal injury claims, it usually has the opposite effect; rather than showing a person of interest was somewhere else when the alleged crime was committed, it can actually provide the defense something to pick up on and argue against the injured victim. For example, if you say you have back pain after a car accident, but then post a video of you on Instagram standing up for an hour at your daughter’s softball game, it could be used against you in personal injury negotiations.  The defense would argue how hurt were you really if you could do that.  However, most parents are willing to endure some pain to not miss something important to their daughter and since most people do not post videos of themselves hurting or in pain, there won’t be a video or photos taken of how you were feeling after that hour on your feet.

Here is What You SHOULD NOT Do on Social Media as an Injured Victim:

First and foremost, the best advice is to refrain from all social media activity throughout the duration of your case. This even includes writing online reviews on Google, Yelp, Angie’s List, Ebay, and more. For example, you wouldn’t want to review a new gym or pair of high heeled shoes after being injured in an accident because again, that could be twisted into an argument by a defense attorney. If you must take part in social media, here is what you should never do:

Do not post information about your accident or incident. This includes descriptions, photos, videos, articles, and even comments.

Do not post anything that arguably implies your injuries are less serious than you claimed. Comments and photos can be taken out of context and used to argue that you are not seriously injured or entitled to a full settlement.

Do not make any comments.  Defense attorneys will use any comments you make and try to twist the meaning of the comments. Even making a claim that you were tired or sore from the gym would be used against you, even though that is normal and even if what you left out of the comment was that you could not do your full workout routine because of your injuries.

Do not make insulting comments or complaints about anyone or any company involved in the case, including the insurance companies, adjusters, opposing parties, attorneys, cities, and more.  There is nothing to be gained be venting your frustrations with how the opposing side is not just simply doing the fair and honorable thing.

Do not accept new friend requests from strangers. It could be an insurance investigator, even disguised as someone else, with the intention of obtaining information that could arguably be used against you.

Who to Talk to About Your Accident Claim

Contact the Law Office of Craven, Hoover, and Blazek P.C. at 317-881-2700 if you were negligently injured in Indiana. Our seasoned Indianapolis accident attorneys are well-versed in various areas of tort law and can help you obtain the full settlement you deserve. We offer free initial consultations and never collect attorney fees unless we prevail for you. Call 317-881-2700 to get started, today.