Social Media and Your Injury Case

Social media has changed the world in a multitude of ways. It’s a great way to keep in touch with family and friends. Worldwide, there are 1.65 billion monthly active users. 

The use of live video on social media platforms has exploded. The world is a live stage in real-time. However, if you are involved in a personal injury lawsuit, too much sharing could leave you vulnerable.

It’s important to know that if you publicly post about your accident or injury, everything you do and say becomes discoverable to the other side. For example, if a client is claiming a back injury and their profile picture shows them being active and having fun with friends, it could harm the case. Even if you have strict privacy settings, your Facebook or Twitter information could potentially be used against you.

How to Protect Yourself Online

Check your privacy settings on all your media platforms. Set your posts so that they will only appear to your approved “friends.” Never accept a friend request from someone you don’t know. It’s a smart idea to keep personal details such as your birthday, where you work, and your home address off social platforms. Your information can be a goldmine for identity thieves.

Guide teenagers in the proper use of social platforms. They are growing up in a world of total and constant sharing, yet sharing isn’t always in their best interest.

Be Careful About What You Post Online

Be selective about what you post and how much you share. Your current and possible future employers can access your online profiles. In addition, colleges will look at the social profiles of potential students. Don’t post anything that may reflect negatively on your reputation. Think about your past posts; is there anything in your prior posts that could hurt you now? Defense attorneys and insurance companies routinely check social profiles for information.

Your Injury Lawsuit

If you are involved in a personal injury lawsuit, assume that anything you publish, post, write or share can be seen by opposing counsel. Therefore, your “shares” could be taken out of context and used against you.

While involved in a personal injury lawsuit, consider deactivating all your social profiles. At the very least, make sure your privacy settings are as high as possible, accessible only by your “friends.”

Social media has brought a lot of good things to the world, but it has a downside. So use good judgment in what you “share” because you share it with the world.