Why it is Not Smart to Talk About an Accident on Social Media
Posting about your Norcross auto accident on social media can lead to a negative outcome. Stay off social media to improve your chances of recovery.
There is no escaping the fact that we live in a digital age. We share much of our lives and activities on various social media sites to stay connected with family and friends. However, there are many cases in which this information can be viewed by people who are not our family and friends. If you post your personal information on public social media sites, it is possible this information could be used against you. A perfect example of this is when you are involved in an auto accident.
Posting about your car accident on social media may seem like an innocent event, but it can make pursuing an injury claim far more difficult. When you retain a Norcross auto accident attorney to represent you, one of the first questions he or she might ask is whether or not you posted about your accident on social media.
Common Ways Posting on Social Media can Impact Your Claim
It should not come as a surprise that insurance companies monitor social media sites. When you file a claim, there is a strong chance that someone from the other side will be searching for you on social media. Here is a look at some of the ways it can negatively affect your claim.
- Information you post could be used to disprove your The other side will look for any little details that could be used against you. Perhaps you went to a family BBQ and there is a photo of you in the pool. The other side will claim your injuries are not serious as you were moving fine. Even if you are just standing in the pool, they will take the snapshot out of context.
- Statements about the accident may be treated as an admission of guilt. You definitely want to be careful about any statements you make on social media about the accident. Even something as seemingly innocent as ‘I never saw the driver coming!’ could be used against you. Or, if someone asks how you are doing after the accident and you respond that you are ok or fine, the insurance company will hone in on that to say you are not injured.
- Even tagged photos and information could be used against you. Sometimes, it is not even something you post that can cause you problems. If you allow people to tag you in photos and statuses, and leave those viewable to the public, the other side could use something posted by someone else against you. For example, perhaps you and your best friends went to a big party several months ago, but no one had uploaded photos until after the accident. Even though you know the event took place long before the accident, the other side will use it to paint a negative image of you. Even though you can argue it happened before, it can still leave a jury with doubt.
What should you do after an accident when it comes to social media? We recommend locking it down – changing your profiles to private and refraining from posting anything at all. Even people you think are your friends could be persuaded to share details of what you post privately.
Contact a Norcross Personal Injury Attorney
If you were injured in an auto accident that was due to someone else’s negligence, contact Zimmerman & Associates today to schedule a free consultation. Let one of our Georgia auto accident attorneys help you fight for the compensation you deserve.