Don't Be Social Media Foolish After A Car Accident
Everyone and their grandmother now use social media every day. When something good happens, you post. When something bad happens, you post. Car accidents are easily one of those unusual events that are so surprising and traumatic that you might find yourself venting about it online. Unfortunately, the first instinct to post may be a huge mistake when it comes to being compensated for your accident losses. Read on to find out why.
Nothing Is Private
No matter how carefully you set up your privacy settings, everything you post on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and more can be found and revealed. It's always a good idea to check and adjust those settings regularly, but if you take legal action after a car action, none of that may matter. If the other side shows a need, they can ask a judge to allow a subpoena of anything posted for your friends to see.
Reducing a Client's Liability
Car accidents are all about the money. The other driver's insurer does everything they can to reduce their client's liability or fault. That is because fault determines who pays all the accident damages like medical expenses, vehicle repairs, and more. In some cases, fault is not obvious and ends up being in contention. That means an innocent social media post could cost you the entire case if you say the wrong thing. For instance, you might have admitted that you might have been driving too fast at the time of the accident.
Posting Gone Wrong
To provide you with a better idea of what can happen when using social media after an accident, take these examples:
- You are claiming to be injured but photographs of you hiking on the weekend tell another story. While you might still be negatively affected by the accident, what counts is the image of you in apparent good health.
- You let your friends know you were injured in a car accident but then reassure them that the injuries were minor and you are already feeling much better. Minimizing your injuries can only hurt your case.
- When a friend asked how the accident happened, you let them know you were using your cell phone when the car hit you. That is distracted driving and may be illegal and extremely damaging to your case.
Rather than seeking sympathy and attention using social media, focus your interest on recovering from your injuries and getting paid what you deserve. To find out more, speak to a personal injury attorney.