When you’ve been injured because of someone else’s negligence, you can file a personal injury claim for compensation. This could help you handle the financial issues that usually accompany someone after they’ve been injured. You can seek compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, loss of earning, punitive damages, and property damage. But posting about your injury on social media could potentially ruin your claim.
A Columbia negligence lawyer from The Solomon Law Group can help you with your personal injury claim. We’ll work tirelessly to get you the compensation you deserve.
Why Can Social Media Ruin Your Claim?
Everyone is accustomed to posting about their lives on social media. But if you’re dealing with a personal injury claim, it’s best to not post about it at all. Your posts can be used against you and could lessen your compensation. An unfavorable settlement could still leave you with financial issues.
One of the main posts that can be used against you regard activities. If you’re seen going out, doing any kind of labor, or are seemingly physically fine, then your claim to seek damages for your injuries may be lessened or negated.
Constant posting can also portray your emotional health. Your claim could state that your injuries have caused emotional distress. If you’re posting pictures of you smiling and laughing, the negligent party could claim that you’re clearly not in emotional distress.
What Should You Avoid Posting?
There are a few kinds of social media posts that you shouldn’t make when you’re involved in a personal injury claim. To protect your claim, avoid the following:
- Photos. Don’t post photos about your injuries, property damage, or any photos that could be used to show that your injuries aren’t that serious or show that you’re not emotionally hurt.
- Tagged Posts. There are some posts that can affect you that are out of your control. Your friends may tag you in photos or posts about your accident as a way of showing their support. But these will show on your social media pages and can still be used to reduce your compensation. If you notice anyone tagging you in things, you can untag yourself or ask your friend to take it down. You could even block people if they’re not responding to your wishes to be left out of their posts.
- Anything About the Claim. It’s also important to not post about the claim itself. This includes meeting with your negligence lawyer, speaking with anyone involved in the accident, or speaking with your friends about it on a thread on one of your social media pages.
You shouldn’t post anything about the other party. It may be tempting to post insults or negative comments about the negligent party, but these can be used against you. Venting may be better for a personal journal or a private conversation at home.
Your best line of defense is keeping a low profile and checking the settings on all your social media accounts. Switch them to the highest security and privacy options so you control who has access to your accounts and can keep them from strangers viewing them.
