Most people don’t think about the fact how social media can jeopardize your ability to recover damages once you file a personal injury claim. The truth is, this problem is a lot more common than you think. And just because your account is ‘private’ doesn’t necessarily mean that posting personal photos and information isn’t risky.
While millions of people today use social media to share highlights of their life on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Twitter, and more, it can be especially risky during an active personal injury claim. That is why we strongly recommend that you consider not posting or even shutting down your social media accounts if you have been injured in an accident and filed a claim.
A personal injury accident claim or lawsuit can be extremely complicated and the process can be challenging, emotionally, financially, and physically. It is imperative that you understand that insurance companies and defense lawyers will do as much as they can to belittle your claim and get you the least amount of compensation for your damages in return. Therefore, that is why we strongly recommend that you avoid social media mistakes that can make it even easier for them to devalue your claim.
Insurance companies and defense lawyers are legally allowed to gather evidence from social media accounts and in extreme cases, they even have the right to demand access to your accounts. Therefore, it is important that you do not discuss your claim with anyone and refrain from posting anything about it online. After all, anything you do or say can be used against you.
Even if the photos, videos, comments, or messages don’t have anything to do with your accident – insurance companies and defense counsel can argue just about anything to belittle your claim as much as they can. For example, the defense may argue that you were using your phone at the time of the accident and can bring up a social media post that proves that. Another example may be that you went on a trip with your family or you shared a post of you dancing with your friends and you weren’t significantly injured. This is something that many accident victims do not think about, but should be more cautious of.
Therefore, it is always ideal to refrain from posting anything on social media until your case is completely resolved.
Have you been involved in an accident and need expert advice from a personal injury lawyer in Los Angeles? If so, don’t hesitate to contact our team at Daneshgar Law for a free consultation. Our team will be able to discuss in further detail what you shouldn’t do in order to protect your case, as well as get you the help you need to get through this difficult time.
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Los Angeles, CA 90024