Social Media Can Hurt Your Personal Injury Case: Follow These Tips
Many people quickly share all aspects of their lives on social media. Social media makes it easy to communicate with friends, especially about significant events like accidents or injuries. Unfortunately, posting about a personal injury on social media may not be a good idea.
Social media posts can be harmful to a personal injury case. Lakeland personal injury lawyer Daniel D. Moody works closely with clients to ensure they don’t make decisions that could hinder a lawsuit. Here, we offer our Lakeland and Winter Haven, FL, clients tips on using social media during a personal injury case in a way that cannot be used against you.
Avoid Making Posts That May Be Incriminating
Individuals involved in a personal injury lawsuit should avoid social media use until their claim is settled. However, we understand that is not a realistic expectation in today’s society. People who are inclined to continue using social media amid a personal injury lawsuit should avoid making any posts or comments about their injuries or the accident that caused them.
Even posts that seem unrelated to a personal injury claim can prove damaging. For instance, a post about going to the gym can be used to question the severity of injuries, while a post about going to work could compromise a claim for lost wages. A defendant or defense attorney will use anything possible to weaken the plaintiff’s case, so people should be extremely cautious when posting or commenting on social media.
Check Privacy Settings
Most social media sites allow users to control who sees their posts and who can comment on them. We strongly advise people to evaluate their privacy settings and ensure they are as strict as possible when going through a lawsuit. People should not allow anyone who is not a direct friend to see, comment, or share social media posts. We must note that, even with strong privacy settings, people must be cautious about the content they share on social media.
Be Wary of New Friend Requests
Getting friend requests from unknown people is not unusual on social media. Some people don’t see the harm in accepting a request from someone they don’t know. In normal circumstances that might be the case, but during a personal injury lawsuit, people should not accept friend requests if they aren’t sure who it is coming from. Lawyers and investigators may create a profile and send a friend request to collect evidence that could be damaging to your personal injury case.
Be Cautious of Your Friends’ Social Media Activity
People should not just be wary of their own social media activity but of their friends and family members as well. Ask friends to avoid posting about your case or mentioning it in comments on your posts, and request that they do not tag you in social media posts, particularly those that may question personal injury claims.
If In Doubt, Check With a Lawyer Before Posting
It can be complicated to navigate the dos and don’ts of social media during a personal injury lawsuit. A knowledgeable personal injury lawyer, such as Daniel D. Moody, can provide in-depth guidance and advice about handling social media in the weeks, months, or years of a personal injury case.
Contact Moody Law
The team at Moody Law is ready to work on your behalf to fight for the financial compensation you are due after a personal injury. To discuss the details of your case with attorney Daniel D. Moody, contact our law firm online and request a consultation at your earliest convenience.