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From connecting users to friends and family to keeping the world informed of breaking news and events, social media comes with a wealth of benefits. But it has its share of drawbacks, too, and one of these disadvantages involves how social media usage can impact a legal case. Most personal injury lawyers advise their clients to steer clear of social media while involved in an injury claim. But, you may be wondering, why? Below are a couple of ways posting to your social media accounts can hurt your case.

A Post Can Easily Be Misconstrued

personal injury lawyerThe words written in social media postings and text messages often lack context, intent, and tone. This opens them up for interpretation, and a reader can deduce all sorts of meanings that you may not have intended at all. After suffering a personal injury, you might innocently post something about the accident on your social media account. But, later, an insurance company might be looking for any way to discredit you, and they may look at your social media pages and willfully misconstrue what's posted there.

Consider this example. You are injured in a car accident, and a few days after you're released from the hospital, you go out to a quiet dinner with friends. You post a status update about being out to dinner with your friends. An insurer or an opposing party's lawyer sees that update, and they assume that, because you were well enough to go out with friends, you aren't as injured as you claim.

It's Not Just Your Own Accounts That Can Harm Your Case

Tell friends and family to refrain from making any public postings about your accident and injuries. It's not unheard of for another party to look up those on the friends' lists of an accident victim to see if anyone else has inadvertently revealed any details about the case. Setting your own account to private will also help avoid this possibility. If someone you know asks you publicly on social media about the accident, do not respond. It's best to protect yourself online from as many angles as possible. In fact, most personal injury lawyers suggest staying off social media altogether until the case has resolved.

 

If you've been involved in an accident for which you are not at fault, personal injury lawyer Randall A. Ortega, Attorney at Law, is here to explore all available legal options. For over 20 years, he has been representing New London County, Connecticut, clients in a variety of legal matters, including injuries, workers' compensation claims, and criminal defense law cases. Call (860) 889-6333 or visit his website to set up a free initial consultation.

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