If you were recently injured in an accident caused by another party’s negligence and are now pursuing a personal injury claim, you might want to lay off social media until it is resolved. While social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram can be fun, allowing you to share your lives with friends, family, and acquaintances, it also provides a forum that often encourages oversharing. For a personal injury case, this can be incredibly damaging and ultimately impact the outcome of it. For those wondering how something so seemingly innocuous could derail a case, here are some reasons that further explain the dangers of social media:
- Nothing is ever completely erased: Whether you delete the post or the account, the fact is that nothing ever goes away once it is released on the Internet. Before posting anything, ask yourself if you would mind a judge on your case seeing it. You should also ask your friends not to tag you in any photos or make posts about you without your consent.
- Insurance companies will comb through your social media accounts: The primary goal of insurance companies is to keep you from getting the compensation you deserve and they will stop at nothing to accomplish this. They will rummage through your social media accounts and any posts you might have been tagged in to find evidence they might be able to use against you. If you made any specific posts about your case, you can bet the insurance company will do what they can to poke holes in your claim with it.
- Attorney-client privilege might not apply: Many of us use other means of communicating these days, including texts, emails, or apps like Facebook messenger. However, bear in mind that your conversations are not always private when using these options. In fact, you might be unknowingly waiving your right to privacy by using these means to communicate. To ensure you are not compromising attorney-client privilege, make sure you communicate through phone conversations, letters in the mail, or sending emails through an encrypted site.
- Social media can spoil your case: As soon as an accident happens, one of our first reactions is to take to the Internet and vent on social media. While this might make you feel a little better, you will end up paying a high price for letting off some steam. Instead, your first reaction should be to contact an attorney so you can begin the process of recovering compensation.
Dedicated Personal Injury Attorneys in Milwaukee
The consequences of an injury can leave a person facing costly medical bills, lost wages, and possibly the inability to return to work. At Samster Konkel & Safran, our skilled team of personal injury attorneys are dedicated to fighting for the rights of injured victims and would be honored to represent you. Our attorneys have over 100 years of collective experience in helping victims of negligent parties obtain the compensation they deserve.
Contact our office today at (414) 404-5818 to schedule a free, no-risk consultation with a knowledgeable member of our team.
