Social Media Tips from a Stockton Accident Attorney
There is nothing inherently wrong with using Social Media to keep in touch with your family and friends. However, after an injury, posting information online can hurt your chances of receiving full compensation for your damages from the person responsible for your injuries. Our Stockton accident lawyers want you to understand the dangers of using Social Media after an accident and how to avoid costly mistakes.
Using Social Media in Stockton After an Accident
The safest way to protect your rights and your ability to recover the most money for your personal injury claim is to avoid using Social Media after any personal injury accident. This warning includes car accidents, slips and falls, bicycle crashes, dog bites, injuries caused by defective products, and motorcycle crashes.
Unfortunately, insurance companies and insurance attorneys understand how to utilize social media and the internet to build a case against your injury claim. It is best not to assist the opposing party in gaining evidence to fight your claim by posting information online after an accident injury. However, if you choose to use Social Media, you need to keep the following tips and information in mind to avoid making a potentially costly mistake.
Review privacy settings for all accounts.
Check your privacy settings on all Social Media accounts and other online accounts to ensure that you are utilizing the highest security settings to protect your online information. You should utilize features such as tag review, blocking the retweeting messages, block sharing of messages, only allow friends to view your content, and block requests from anyone other than friends. Never post information that is allowed for “public” viewing.
Do not delete accounts or information.
Deleting accounts or information could be seen as an attempt to hide or get rid of potential evidence that could be used in a personal injury case. It is best to simply avoid posting anything online after your accident or, at the very least, taking precautions to avoid posting information that could be used against you in a personal injury lawsuit.
Do not discuss your accident, injuries, or recovery.
Many people use their Social Media accounts to update family and friends about their injuries and recovery. However, any information you post about the accident, your injuries, or your recovery could be used against you. For example, if you respond to a friend’s inquiry about how you are doing with “fine” or “doing okay,” the insurance company may argue that you are exaggerating your injuries for the claim because you already said you are “fine” or “okay” online. Whatever you say online can jeopardize your ability to settle your claim or receive a fair amount for your claim.
Avoid posting any photographs or videos after an accident.
Again, anything you post could potentially be used to hurt your claim. Even something as innocent as a picture of you at your nephew’s pool party could be an issue. You might have just sat in a chair and enjoyed watching everyone swim, a picture can be deceiving, especially in the hands of a talented trial attorney who can use the picture to convince a jury to doubt your side of the story.
Call a Stockton Personal Injury Attorney for More Information
Before you do anything, get the facts about an accident claim and your legal right to recover full compensation for your injuries. Call Torem & Associates at (888) 500-5000to request a free consultation with an experienced California personal injury lawyer.
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