If someone hurt you in an accident, you may want to file a personal injury claim seeking compensation for any damages. However, during the interim, there are certain precautions you need to take to ensure the validity of your case, like monitoring your social media habits. The following guide outlines the impacts social media has on personal injury cases and what you can do to minimize any risks.

How Does Social Media Affect a Personal Injury Case?

Courts judge whether a defendant's actions negatively impacted physical, emotional, or financial health.

For example, perhaps you argued that you sustained a back injury that made mobility difficult, and therefore you couldn’t maintain a job. If you post a status update or picture on a social media about a rock climbing excursion while claiming to be injured, it may lead the defense to question your back problem’s validity. The judge may doubt that you have grounds for compensation. 

The same sentiment applies if you call on friends and family to serve as witnesses to acknowledge that hinders your movement and prevents you from working. Even if they don’t tag you in the post, if updates on social media contradict the severity of your condition, they could be held in contempt. 

What Can You Do to Prevent Problems?

The safest and most effective way to prevent complications is to stay off social media for the duration of the proceedings. Even seemingly innocent posts could be misconstrued by lawyers or judges. If your profile is private, investigators can still access your profile. Rather than run the risk of a post being misunderstood, avoid posting altogether.

If you need help putting together a strong personal injury claim, talk to the professionals at Skinner & Associates in Galesburg, IL. Since 2007, these attorneys have provided quality legal counsel and representation to clients seeking compensation for damages. Visit their website to learn more about their practice, and call (309) 343-996 to schedule an initial consultation today.