Social media is a common pastime for many people across the country. They use it to stay in touch with other people, share their positive moments with friends and family, and keep occupied during a short metro ride to or from work. While it has many positive aspects, it can also be a hindrance in many legal cases, including personal injury suits.
Many people are unaware of how easily accessible their social media accounts are. Users must deliberately set their profiles to private, so only friends can see their activity. People who don’t often share their lives with anyone who cares to look, including the attorneys of the insurance company you may be fighting in court.
For example, one woman who was injured pursued compensation for her broken leg. The insurance company didn’t want to pay for her medical bills and rehabilitation, so they disputed her claim. In court, the company’s attorney used the woman’s social media profile to prove she wasn’t as injured as she claimed in court. Part of her suit included loss of enjoyment of life, though her social media account showed her recently laughing. This picture hurt her claim in court.
Social media accounts portray people’s view of what they want to show people about their lives. Most want to show the positives, such as getting married or having a fun new experience, such as skydiving. Rarely do people post pictures of themselves being miserable after an accident; however, insurance companies will use your account however they can to keep from needing to pay.
If you’re pursuing a personal injury case, or you hope to seek compensation through a civil suit, do yourself a favor and avoid all social media posting until your case is finalized. Likewise, ask your friends and family not to post anything on their accounts regarding your injury until your case is over.
Talk to one of our skilled Otsego County personal injury attorneys if you were injured by the negligence or carelessness of another person or a company. You deserve compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Let us see what we can do for you.
Contact us at (607) 228-8404 or fill out our online form to schedule a free case consultation
with us today.