Social media has become such a persistent extension of our lives that many of us share even some of our most intimate moments online.
However, it’s important to keep in mind that certain aspects of your life shouldn’t be shared on the internet. One of these elements is the details of a car accident you’re involved in. Read on to learn five reasons why.
#1 - Insurance companies use everything they can against you.
In order to help save themselves money, insurance companies do everything possible to downplay or completely deny they owe you money for your injuries in a crash, including using what you post on social media against you.
Even if your social media profiles are set to private, insurance companies may still have ways of obtaining what you post online and using it against your case.
For this reason, it is wise to avoid posting anything about your accident online at all.
#2 - The insurance company may try to use your content to downplay your injuries.
Even if you don’t post about your accident or the injuries you sustained on social media, if you post that you’re at a music festival with friends a week or two after the accident, the insurance company may use this against you to show that you are not in as much pain as you say you are.
#3 - What you say online may be perceived as an admission of blame.
During the stressful time after an accident, people say all sorts of things. It is natural to feel compelled to say sorry after a crash, even if it’s not your fault. However, doing so can be detrimental to your claim for damages.
Apologizing on social media is even worse than doing so verbally after a crash because there is physical evidence of the apology, even if the content is deleted later.
#4 - Discussing your case on social media may eliminate the confidentiality of your case.
You have the right to total confidentiality when you discuss the details of your case with your attorney so long as you solely share them with your lawyer and no one else.
The information you share on social media is part of the public domain, including anything you share about:
- The events of the accident
- Your physical health
- Medical ailments
- Your mental health
- Your emotional state
Anything you share on social media related to your case terminates the confidentiality protections you would otherwise have.
#5 - Posting about the crash and deleting it later can be more harmful than leaving the content up.
If you’ve already posted about your crash, what’s done is done. Don’t go back and delete it later because that can look like you are trying to hide something, which is even worse than posting about the crash, to begin with.
Don’t worry if you’ve already made social media posts about the accident, but be sure not to make any more posts about the crash and contact an experienced personal injury attorney right away to learn more about your options for recovering compensation.
We Can Help Injured Accident Victims
Sustaining injuries in a car crash through no fault of your own is a painful and upsetting situation to endure. While you shouldn’t share anything about your crash online, it’s important to reach out to a skilled car accident attorney with the details of your case to learn more about the compensation you may be able to recover for your losses.
If you or a loved one have been injured in an accident, our lawyers at Whiting Hagg & Dorsey, LLP may be able to help you receive the settlement you deserve. Give us a call at (605) 519-6136 or fill out the online contact form.
.1).jpg)