4 Social Media Tips for Car Accident Claimants
If you’re recovering from car accident injuries, you may be inclined to turn to your friends and followers on social media for support. Should you intend to file a personal injury claim, however, posting about the crash could end up hurting your case.
In fact, it’s advisable to disable your accounts entirely as long as your claim is pending. If that’s not an option, you can at least reduce the chances of jeopardizing your case online by following these tips:
1. Adjust Your Privacy Settings
Although privacy settings aren’t exactly foolproof—the claims adjuster may still be able to see some of your online activity through third-party connections, for example—they will provide an added hurdle for those whom you don’t want viewing your profiles. Log into each account, and toggle the privacy option so only approved friends or followers can see what you post.
2. Filter New Requests
Until your case has been resolved, do not accept any friend or follow requests from people whom you don’t actually know. Strangers who suddenly want to connect may be working for the claims adjuster, and sending you a request could be their attempt to bypass any privacy settings you’ve implemented.
3. Avoid Posting Anything That Might Bring Your Credibility into Question
Even after updating your privacy settings, you should assume that everything you publish—photos, videos, and statuses—will be up for scrutiny. Since there’s no way to be sure how the claims adjuster might interpret—or misrepresent—what you post, it’s best to avoid publishing anything that even hints at:
- The accident;
- Your injuries;
- The progress of your recovery;
- The direction in which you intend to take the case;
- Your social life;
- Your family outings;
- Your work obligations; or
- Your expenditures.
4. Avoid “Checking In” to Public Places
You can be sure the claims adjuster will scrutinize any and all “check-ins” in addition to analyzing your posts. As such, it’s best to avoid checking in anywhere at all. Whether you visit a restaurant or a public park, the opposing party may try to spin it in such a way that it challenges your credibility.
In that same vein, ask friends and loved ones to avoid tagging you in their own posts. It’s fairly easy to identify connections between individuals on social media—especially if they share a last name, alma mater, hometown, or some other commonality—so it’s reasonable to assume that the claims adjuster will also be monitoring those with whom you’re closest.
How Else Can I Strengthen My Car Accident Claim?
In addition to staying off social media while your car accident claim is pending, you can increase your chances of securing a satisfactory outcome by:
- Seeking prompt medical care;
- Following your doctor’s orders;
- Tracking all recoverable damages;
- Keeping a personal injury journal; and
- Referring all correspondence with the opposing party to your legal team.
Discuss Your Case with a Car Accident Attorney
If you were hurt in a motor-vehicle collision through no fault of your own, contact Emerson Straw PL. Our tireless team has recovered more than $27 million for our valued clients in personal injury and wrongful death cases. Call (727) 821-1500 or use our Online Contact Form to set up a free consultation with a car accident lawyer.