If you are pursuing a personal injury claim, it is because you have suffered an injury and other types of damages related to a car accident. Texas law enables you to seek compensation for your medical-related costs, lost income, pain, suffering, and other relevant damages. It is perfectly normal for you to turn to social media and share some experiences related to the suit or accident with fans, friends, followers, or family.
However, you should understand the consequences of doing so. Anything you publish on social media may be used against you throughout the case. To prevent this, you need to be wise and careful about what you share on social networks. Retaining the services of an experienced Texas car accident attorney will allow you to utilize their legal guidance so that you do not negatively impact your car accident case.
What are 5 Ways that Social Media Can Hurt My Car Accident Case?
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YOU MAY ACCIDENTALLY OPPOSE YOUR OWN TESTIMONY
The information on your social media posts might oppose your claim. For instance, you might have said you have a broken arm. But your recent social media posts expose that you were going bowling. In this case, the defense will challenge your injuries. Keep in mind, if you suffered an injury whether it be at work or in a car accident, you should be entirely sincere about the information of your case. Facebook posts and other social media details that contradict your claim might ruin your case completely.
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QUESTIONABLE ‘CHECK-INS’
Well, check-ins on Facebook or Yelp, and other platforms can reveal that you were participating in activities that aren’t consistent with the injuries you suffered. For example, you said that you suffered a damaged leg (restricted movement), and then you signed in at your routine yoga or a dance class. The defense can use social media posts as evidence against you.
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YOU MIGHT EXPOSE WHAT YOU ARE REALLY ‘PHYSICALLY ABLE’ TO-DO
Your social media content can unintentionally expose to the defense side what you are physically capable of even after the injury. For example, if you publish a picture of your kids on the ski hill, the defense might argue that you took the photo. And if that is the case, they will have a piece of evidence that places you on a ski hill. Usually, what you share on social media can call your case in various methods you can’t forecast.
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RANTS, COMMENTS, POSTS, OR FEEDBACK FROM FRIENDS & FAMILY
The comments and posts made by your friends and family may hurt your case. Perhaps they will say something agreeing with the details of your injury. For instance, they can alter statements about the compensation quantity you desire or say they were with you somewhere doing something that opposes the details of your case. These are a few of the pieces of information that can render your evidence ineffective and hurt your claim.
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SOCIAL MEDIA ARGUMENTS IN COURT
Typically, a simple social media rant can quickly complicate your claim. You and your lawyer might have additional trips to the court to hash out if you have to offer your social media records for the defense side. Keep in mind that the law provides no social media break, which implies you can’t run away from producing your social media records by setting your accounts to personal or status to ‘buddies just.’
How Can You Stay Active on Social Media?
If you plan to file a car accident claim, do not share even the slightest information of your personal injury case on social networks. If you must use these platforms, limit your activities to liking other individuals’ posts, and perhaps sharing news content. In case you want to see what other people are saying about you, think about searching Google for your name.
It is also important to request your family, colleagues, and friends, not to discuss anything related to your case. Keep in mind, the very best thing to do is to lay low on all social networks until your personal injury case is resolved. Keep in mind; the other side will be seeing; everything you say to the defendant or share on social networks might be used against you in court.
If you have any questions or concerns on how you can use social media, consulting with your car accident attorney can provide you the way you can safely use social media without negatively impacting your car accident settlement.
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