Can Social Media Ruin My Fresno Personal Injury Case?
Have you ever read someone’s post on Facebook or Twitter where they are complaining about something that happened to them? Most of us have used social media to complain about something that happened to us from the person who cut us off in traffic to our boss making us work overtime. It is normal to want to share your frustration with family and friends. Our family and friends provide encouragement and support when we are frustrated or going through a life event.
However, using social media to vent about a Fresno car accident could harm your ability to recover full compensation for your injuries, damages, and losses. How you use social media while your accident claim is pending could make or break your case.
Insurance Companies Use Social Media Posts
Insurance companies are in business to make money; therefore, they avoid paying large settlement claims whenever possible. In reality, insurance adjusters work very hard to lower the amount the company must pay in each personal injury case. Because many people put their entire lives on the internet through blogs and social media posts, insurance companies now actively search the internet for these posts during an accident investigation.
It is not unusual for an insurance investigator to search for information about you through social media sites including, but not limited to:
- Google+
- Foursquare
- YouTube
- Venmo
The information insurance companies search for on social media is not limited to the date of the accident forward. The investigator will look through your social media history too.
Common Social Media Mistakes After An Accident
There are many ways you can harm your accident claim through social media posts. Some of the most common mistakes our attorneys see clients make using social media after an accident are:
- Posting Images – An innocent picture of you attending your mother’s birthday party could be used to argue you are not as severely injured as you claim. It could be that you were in extreme pain and you only attended the party because this was your mother’s 90th birthday and the party had been planned for over a year. Jurors will just see that you were at a party while you were claiming you could not work.
- Venting – You are angry — we understand. It is natural to be angry after a car accident. A careless and negligent driver caused a collision that resulted in physical pain and financial loss. Unfortunately, if you choose to vent your frustrations on social media, you may make a statement that could harm your case. For example, you could say that you were running late to pick up your child at school and you were in a hurry. While this does not state you were speeding and not paying attention to traffic, that is how the insurance company will spin it during a trial.
- Posting About Your Injuries – Social media makes it easy to keep friends and family members updated on your recovery progress. However, posting about your injuries and recovery could give the insurance company information it could use against you during the trial.
- Logging Activities – Many people use social media to “check in” at various location. They also use social media to let their friends and family know what they are doing. Logging activities during a personal injury case is dangerous. For example, you “check in” at an amusement park. The insurance company will argue that you are well enough to enjoy an amusement park, but you are not well enough to work. It does not matter that you were in a wheelchair the entire time and you did not ride any of the rides.
It is best if you avoid using social media until after your personal injury claim is settled. If you choose to use social media knowing the risks, you need to take precautions to protect your claim:
- Set security settings to the highest level
- Do not post any information about your accident, injuries, recovery, or case
- Ask friends and family to avoid tagging you or posting pictures of you
- Do not post pictures
- Do not “check in” or log activities
Call A Fresno Accident Attorney For Help
If you have been injured in Fresno, CA for the surrounding Central California Valley area, call Torem & Associates at (888) 500-5000 for a free case evaluation. You may also chat with a representative online or use our convenient online contact form to schedule a free consultation.
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