Being the victim of a car accident that has left you severely injured can be devasting, disorientating, and stressful. You may not know where to turn for support and guidance on how to move to forward and what the best course of action is. It is, therefore, not unusual for accident victims to want to turn to social media for comfort, support, and motivation from family, friends, and followers in these difficult times. This can, however, put your personal injury claim at risk of disputes from the insurer.
Insurers have been known to closely monitor claimants’ social media feeds in the hopes of finding content that may compromise their personal injury claim. The photographs, reels, statements, and check-ins that you post on various social media platforms could be used by the insurer to dispute your liability and derail your claim. Your settlement may then be reduced or even denied.
Your personal injury lawyer may suggest that it would be best to disable your social media accounts while your claim is pending. If you are going to stay active online during your claim, here are a few tips to help protect your claim:
- Set all of your accounts to the strictest privacy settings: If you insist on using social media while your claim is still pending, be sure to update your privacy settings as soon as possible after the accident. Set all of your accounts, such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok, to the strictest privacy settings. This will limit who can see your statuses, posts, videos, and check-ins and ensure that they are only visible to friends and followers that you approve.
- Do not accept any new friend suggestions or requests: When receiving new friend requests, only accept people that you have known for a long time and trust into your online community. Insurers have ample resources and proven strategies at their disposal to investigate claimants. They are likely to try to gain access to your social media profiles to comb through your posts in the hopes of finding something that could be used to dispute your claim.
- Do not post any photos: The recovery process after a car accident can be a drawn-out and painful one. On the days that you are feeling positive and strong, you may want to share a few photos of yourself with your friends to keep them updated on your progress. These seemingly innocent photos can, however, be used to undermine your injuries, call your liability into question, and deny your claim.
- Do not share any information relating to the accident or your injuries: You might want to reach out to your online community for company, sympathy, support, and motivation during your recovery, but you should avoid sharing any details online about the accident, your injuries, your recovery, and your personal injury claim. Insurers can misrepresent what you share to dispute your claim.
Consult with a Personal Injury Attorney Before Using Social Media
Our personal injury lawyers at Obral, Silk & Pal offer effective representation and relevant advice to protect and strengthen your personal injury claim. You may want to consult with a personal injury lawyer before taking to social media while your claim is pending. Your lawyer will be able to discuss common mistakes made by claimants with you and what to avoid to protect your claim. We have the resources, experience, and proven legal strategies to fight for the compensation that you deserve to make up for the losses you have suffered. Call Obral, Silk & Pal at 216-529-9377 or fill out our online contact form to discuss your case with us today.