Social media plays a major role in our lives nowadays, allowing individuals to share everything from their thoughts, planned events, photos of their experiences, and more. While this favored pastime is a nice way to stay connected with friends and family, it also has the potential to derail an ongoing personal injury case.
Here are some ways in which social media might harm your case and why you should refrain from posting about your injury:
- Defense lawyers might attempt to use your posts to challenge your claims: If you are filing a personal injury lawsuit, you are claiming that your life was negatively impacted by the negligent actions of the at-fault party. The defense attorney will do everything within his or her power to prove this is not the case, or that you are exaggerating the severity of your injuries. To do this, the attorney will collect evidence in a variety of ways, from interviewing your employer and friends to perusing your social media accounts for posts that might harm your case.
A post that might seem entirely harmless to you, could be the perfect piece of evidence for a defense attorney to use against you. For example, if you have a back injury, but post about mowing the lawn, it might suggest you are not as badly hurt as you claimed to be. Remember, part of a personal injury claim involves the emotional duress, trauma, and other impacts an injury might have had to one’s mental health, so if your posts indicate that you are fine and you are seen smiling and socializing with friends in pictures, this evidence will be used to attempt to refute your claims.
- Making a negative post about the defendant might backfire: After being injured, whether it was through careless or criminal behavior, you might be upset, which is completely natural. That said, you should refrain from venting this anger on social media. A defense attorney might try to exploit your enraged attitude and make it seem as though you are sue-happy and out to get money.
- Posting about your injuries: Personal injury cases are not as straightforward as some might think and posting the details of your injury can open too many legal doorways for the defense. Many professionals are often required in these cases, including doctors, medical personnel, insurance adjusters, and more. They are necessary to paint a clear picture for a judge and jury as to how your injuries were caused, the severity of them, how long they might last, and how they will impact your life. If you take to your Facebook account to discuss your injuries and how you describe them does not match up with what is being said in court, it can diminish your case, and make you appear dishonest.
The best precaution you can take if you are in the midst of a personal injury case is to avoid using social media until your case reaches a resolution. If you do decide to continue to use social media, give careful consideration to every post you make and ask yourself if you would mind a judge or jury seeing it. If the answer is yes, or if you are unsure, you are better off keeping it to yourself.
Personal Injury Attorney Representing Clients in Anchorage
If you or a loved one was injured in an accident due to someone else’s negligence or carelessness, you have a right to pursue fair and just compensation. At The Law Offices of David Henderson, I believe you should not be responsible for the dangerous actions or others nor bear the burden of paying for their mistakes. I will do everything within my power to see you are given a favorable outcome for your case.
With nearly 20 years of experience assisting clients and a proven track record of success, you can be confident in my ability to do the same for you.
Contact me today at (888) 295-6566 to schedule a free, comprehensive initial consultation.