There are several ways in which social media can damage your personal injury claim. It’s not just personal injury claims, either, social media can harm your harassment claims, your civil litigation claims, and more.

Knowing how it can harm you case can help you avoid the pitfalls. Here are some examples of how social media can harm your case:

If you were injured in a personal injury accident, but then go on a trip and post photos, the defendant may try to use it against you to say that the injury is not real, as evidenced by the activities you are seen doing in your social media post.

Similarly, after an accident, if you post a joke to a friend about your accident, it may be used against you in a lawsuit. Even if it was simply a joke between friends, a judge may not see it that way.

Ranting about an accident may also count against you in a case. If you get details wrong, it may harm your case’s chances and you may lose out on much needed compensation.

These are 5 ways to avoid trouble with social media and to make your case potentially stronger.

1. Archive your social media posts immediately after the incident for you records.
2. Avoid posting to social media, take down any photos or texts that have to do with the personal injury case, set your social media to private and if possible, deactivate your account after archiving it.
3. Don’t add any friends or followers who you do not know.
4. Avoid posting any details about your case on forums. You may be very interested in learning more about your rights on these open forums online, but you can not be certain who is reading them. Additionally, the information may be inaccurate and even harmful.
5. Consult with a personal injury attorney. If you have any questions, they can guide you through the process.

Social media can be extremely harmful to personal injury cases. It can cause plaintiff’s to lose out on compensation that could cover medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering and more. If you have any questions or would like additional information, please do not hesitate to contact us.