Many people across the world use social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to connect with friends and loved ones. These accounts allow for valuable engagement, encouraging people to interact with people and brands they are not usually able to. While this usually occurs without a second thought, but social media also has the ability to negatively harm your personal injury case and used against you by insurance companies and the defense to discredit your claim. When you have been injured, it is important that you control the image that you are advancing to avoid harming your case and ensuring that you retain the maximum amount of compensation!
Do you have social media accounts?
If you have been injured, you can be sure that insurance companies and defense attorneys will be scouring your personal social media accounts to find information to help prove that you are not injured or that the harm caused is not as serious as you claim. Subtle clues can even be used against you; even smiling and having a good time can threaten your claims, insinuating that you may not be in as much pain as previously claimed. Comments left by friends can similarly be used to imply that an injury is not as serious as claimed.
Are you involved in a personal injury case? Be sure to follow these tips:
- Put your social media accounts of hold during the case;
- Post as little as possible, and avoid speaking about the case or your activities;
- Make sure that any posts provide an accurate picture of an event, including if you had to sit part of it out due to pain;
- Avoid posting photos or videos, and prevent friends from tagging you in theirs;
- Delete any past posts that can harm your claim;
- Do an internet search of your name and take steps to remove incriminating information;
- Set privacy settings that ensure only pre-approved viewers can see what you post; and
- Don’t accept requests from people you don’t personally know.
At DiPasquale Moore, our Kansas City personal injury lawyers know that social media does not always provide accurate insight into the truths of your life. People smile when cameras are around and put their best foot forward online, even if they are suffering. While the defense can use this information to imply that you are not as injured as we know you are, our firm knows that your right to compensation should always be upheld.
Wondering how your personal injury case may be affected by social media? Seeking to get started with a dedicated team of Kansas City lawyers stopping at nothing to get you what you deserve? Our firm prides itself on doing everything in our power to recover monetary compensation for Kansas City residents that have been harmed. Schedule your free consultation with our firm today!