Social media allows us to connect with our friends, family and share updates about our lives. Most folks these days have at least one social media account, if not multiple. But as a TN personal injury attorney, I know that social media can also be dangerous to your case. It’s all too easy these days for social media users to inadvertently post something that comes back to hurt their claim later.

Posting on social media can be a problem for everyone, but with personal injury claims, it can be a drastic mistake. If you’re currently pursuing a personal injury claim, I would advise you to exercise extreme caution when posting anything online. Read below to find out why.

5 Ways Social Media Can Affect Your Personal Injury Claim

1. Revealing what you can and cannot do

Posting videos or photos of yourself on social media may harm your case if you claim to have suffered certain injuries. For example, let’s say you claim to have an ankle sprain injury, but then you post photos of yourself playing baseball. The defense attorney or insurance company can use that against you. They could point to that photo as evidence that you were not as seriously injured as you claim to be, or that you have recovered from your injury.

2. Contradicting your testimony

Social media can be a great way to stay in touch with your close friends and family, especially after an accident. However, be careful about what you say about your injury. Without meaning to, you may end up saying something to a friend or relative on social media that contradicts the statements, testimony, or allegations you made in your personal injury case.

Avoid talking about the details of your accident, your injuries, or your case to anyone on social media. Ask your family and friends to refrain from commenting or writing about your case, as well.

3. Connecting with people you don’t know

Be cautious of new friend requests on social media networks, especially from people you don’t know. It is possible that an unknown person who pops up on your social media feed is actually connected to an insurance company or defense attorney. Unfortunately, social media posts that are related to your case are routinely considered to be sound evidence.

4. Consider setting your profiles to ‘private’

It’s understandable if you don’t want to stop using social media altogether during your personal injury claim. But you should at least consider changing the settings on your profiles to ‘private’, as this limits strangers from viewing your profile and posts.

If possible, also ask your friends and family not to tag you in their posts, or re-share your posts, photos, or videos.

5. Examples of what not to post on social media during a personal injury claim

My advice is to say nothing about an accident or claim on social media. But below are more specific guidelines on what not to post:

  • Posts talking about what happened in the accident
  • Sharing information about medical treatment
  • Posts that talk negatively about the defendant or insurance company in your case
  • Sharing information about your case, including conversations you’ve had with anyone involved
  • Posts talking about developments in your legal case
  • Photos or videos of you traveling or being active if you claimed to have suffered injuries that limit your daily activities

Get Help From a TN Personal Injury Attorney for FREE

Insurance companies and defense attorneys will do whatever it takes to undercut your claim. This includes using social media posts to prove that your injury and distress is invalid.

Luckily, you don’t have to navigate the nuances of your claim alone. If you or your family member has been injured, contact us online or call us at (901) 327-2100 for a FREE consultation. For more than 30 years, our team of TN personal injury attorneys has helped accident victims recover compensation to pay for medical bills, cover lost wages, and heal after the trauma of an accident. We are known for our sensitivity and our stellar results.

It isn’t just about the physical injuries, either. We know accidents also take an emotional toll. They can create anxiety and affect your enjoyment of everyday life. This is exactly why you deserve to be compensated accordingly. Give us a call today. We are here to help.