Talking About Family Court Proceedings

Social media is everywhere, and you may feel like you couldn't escape it even if you tried. When you are dealing with a personal injury case, this can be a big problem. In fact, your social media posts can influence the outcome of your personal injury case.

If you use social media and are pursuing a claim for compensation based on lost wages, medical bills, and non-economic losses, you should reconsider your use of social media websites. Here's what you need to know about social media in the midst of your personal injury case.

Don't Post Anything Until Your Case Is Over

A lot of us today are habitual about our social media use, and it can be difficult to simply stop using it. The best way to avoid sabotaging your own case is to stay far away from social media, as insurance companies and attorneys may use social media posts to look for information about you.

For example, you might post a picture of yourself hiking with your children over a long weekend. You might have been having a good day, or perhaps you were hiking very slowly because of your leg injury. Regardless, your insurance company may find the photo posted on social media and use it as evidence that your leg injury cannot be as bad as you say it is because you have been able to hike with it.

Of course, anything posted on social media can be used, no matter how private you believe your account is. Even the most innocuous things can come back to bite you, so it really is best to avoid posting anything or being tagged in anything if possible.

Never Discuss Your Case Online

Next, make sure you never talk about your case online on any website. Anything and everything you say online will be used against you in your case, just like in a criminal case. One common example might be something as simple as posting that you "feel great" after an accident. An insurance company could use this in your case to claim that you were feeling good after the incident and thus couldn't possibly have any injuries.

Change Your Privacy Settings on Every Website

While privacy settings cannot totally protect you, it is still a good idea to change your settings regardless. Lock down your profiles by making them private, even if you no longer post. Giving somebody no evidence to use against you is the best case scenario.

No matter your current social media plan, it is important to talk to your personal injury attorney about social media. They will provide the best advice specific to your case.

If you do not yet have representation, contact a personal injury attorney such as the Law Office of Dana Stricker to get the representation you need.