Social Media and Personal Injury Cases: The Do's and Don'ts

In the modern world, social networks have become not only a trend but also an indispensable part of our lives.

It is difficult to think about how social media has affected our lives, from status updates to relationship with friends and families.

That being said, it is important that you are careful with what you post to social media when you are involved in a personal injury case.

Knowing the right and wrong way to conduct oneself in the social media platform during the personal injury case is very important in order to avoid endangering one’s case.

What is the purpose of Social Media in Personal Injury Claims?

In particular, social networks can be considered as an important factor that has a great impact on the personal injury trial. 

The use of social media has become prevalent, and it is now common to find lawyers, insurance adjusters, and even judges using it as a source of evidence and information.

This is why it is important to know how to handle social media responsibly when involved in a personal injury case since whatever you post online can be used against you in court.

Another important factor that needs to be taken into consideration when analyzing the role of social media in personal injury cases is the aspect of time and availability of the content that is published on such platforms.

This is why even if you delete a post or update your profile’s privacy settings, you have to know that it is not easy to remove your digital footprint completely. 

Documents, photographs, recorded or printed can still be produced in court or other legal proceedings.

Also, the status update and comments can give vital information regarding the lifestyle, activity, and behavior of a person. With this information, one can see how it can be of significance in the context of a personal injury claim.

For instance, if you are filing a claim for back pain compensation, but you share pictures of yourself doing some heavy work, your credibility will be shot, and so will your case.

Similarly, if you were involved in a car accident, then you should avoid posting anything on social media and consult a car accident attorney in Houston, TX, as soon as possible. 

The Do's:

1. Do Limit Your Social Media Activity:

When in a personal injury case, it is best to either minimize or avoid social media interactions during the entire process. What one may consider harmless may well be misconstrued or used by the other side to their advantage.

2. Do Adjust Your Privacy Settings:

Learn how to manage your online privacy and ensure that your friends and family members do not have unauthorized access to your social media profiles. 

Control the visibility of the content you share with your friends, photos, and other details to only close friends and family.

3. Do Seek Legal Advice:

It is advisable to seek legal advice before sharing any content on the social media platform that may be related to your personal injury case. 

It is always important to consult your attorney on what is right to reveal and what should not be said. 

This is something that you should always remember whenever you are dealing with your legal advisors. If you are looking for the best personal injury lawyers, then you should contact Mokaram Law Firm. 

The Don'ts:

1. Don't Discuss Your Case:

Avoid sharing any information regarding your personal injury case with any of your friends on social media.

Do not share your opinion, guess, or information about a case that is in court or has not been decided yet. 

It is always better to remain silent if you have an ongoing case since anything that you write online can be used against you in court. 

2. Don't Share Incriminating Content:

Do not share information that may be damaging to your personal injury claims in any way. 

This includes photos or videos of you exercising or performing other body activities that show that your injuries are not as serious as you have described. 

Insurance adjusters and defense lawyers will search all accounts associated with the case to try to use posts against you, so choose carefully.

3. Don't Accept Friend Requests from Strangers 

Do not accept friend requests or messages from strangers or, especially, if they have something to do with the opposite party or insurance company. These requests could be an act of trying to get information or even spy on you for any probable evidence.