Social media has become ingrained in our everyday lives. We go there to keep in touch with people, to share life updates, to seek support from our community, and so much more. It is only natural that after a car accident, you would go to social media to update your friends on what happened. Do not do this. Using social media after a car accident can jeopardize your opportunity to seek compensation for your injuries through a personal injury claim. It can have a far-reaching impact beyond what people usually think about.
Why Car Accident Victims Should Stay Away from Social Media
The reality is that insurance companies are all about their bottom line. They are businesses. When you pursue a claim with an insurance company seeking compensation for injuries and other losses you have sustained due to negligence on the part of their insured, they will use any opportunity to deny or undermine your claim. Social media provides them with big opportunities to gather the information they will utilize to get out of paying you anything or to justify paying you less than what you actually deserve.
Every time you post on social media, you may be inadvertently giving information about the accident or your resulting injuries that an insurance company could later hold against you. For instance, you may accidentally admit fault. Anything you say about what happened in the accident has the potential for someone to place blame on you. Saying things like “the other car came out of nowhere” or “I was eating lunch when it happened,” can be used as evidence that you were not paying attention or you were driving while distracted. There is so much that can be misconstrued. It is always the safest bet not to say anything at all.
Physical injuries and emotional distress claims resulting from the accident are particularly susceptible to being undermined by social media posts. Any pictures or statements made on social media relating to your activities, having fun, enjoying life, etc. can and will be used by an insurance company to show that you really are not as hurt as you claim and any assertion of emotional distress is clearly unfounded because you are still finding ways to have fun and enjoy life. Is this unfair? Absolutely, but it happens all of the time.
Posting anything negative about the insurance company on social media can be used to support the assertion that you are not negotiating in good faith. It is easy to get frustrated with an insurance company. You may be seeking an outlet to vent your frustrations on social media, but if the insurance company can show that you are acting in bad faith, they may claim that they should not have to enter into negotiations with you at all.
To best protect you and the value of your claim, avoid social media altogether until your claim is resolved. Let friends and family know not to tag you in anything as well. Yes, this may seem extreme, but it is also the safest bet to ensure social media use does not harm your claim. If this is something you cannot do, update your privacy settings. Make sure all your accounts are set to private so only your current friends can see your posts. Do not add any new followers unless you know they are trustworthy. Be mindful of what you post.
Pennsylvania Car Accident Attorneys
Insurance companies will look for any opportunity to get out of paying your personal injury claim. At Cooper Schall & Levy, we stand up to the big insurance companies and zealously advocate on behalf of our clients. We are here to work for you and your right to full and fair compensation for your car accident injuries and losses. Contact us today.
