Social media has become our very best friend. This is where we communicate with some of the closest people in our lives, and even make friends that we’ve never met before. We have become so dependent on social media this is also where we speak the most, this is where we seek therapy the most. Almost everyone has at least one social media platform to communicate with the outside world and share their life. Social media may seem very harmless, and it is, but that changes when you are involved in a personal injury claim. The use of social media can potentially affect your claim in a negative way if you are not careful.
When an injured individual pursues a personal injury claim they are asking an insurance company to pay them for their insured’s negligence. Insurance companies do not want to do this. So what they will do is investigate. Not only will they investigate the details of the incident in question, they will go into investigating your credibility. In many cases this begins on social media. Insurance adjusters will do whatever they can to debunk your story, or in your claim entirely. Although they may understand they are at fault, paying out money is not an insurance companies desire.
Insurance companies can use the photos that you post or the comments that you post and somehow connect them to your claim. So it is important if you are involved in a motor vehicle accident or any sort of personal injury incident, to be mindful of what you share. If you are making claims that this incident has somehow caused depression, it will not help to post anything regarding any other emotions. If you are making claims that you are suffering neck and back injuries due to the incident, it is not wise to post photos of you skydiving. Things like this can and will be used against you should this information be discovered by the insurance company. Naturally, we expect those to be at fault no matter the extent of the injury, to be held responsible. Unfortunately, that is not always the case. You must also remember that you are now on display based on the claims that you’re making.
Should you or someone you know be a victim of a personal injury incident please inform them to be mindful of their social media content. However, in the event that this is overwhelming, speak with a personal injury attorney in Atlanta, GA about what your options are and what not to do.
Thanks to Andrew R. Lynch, P.C. for their insight into personal injury claims and social media.