In the days, weeks and months after an automobile accident, the support and encouragement of friends and family can help sustain you. What better way to stay in touch than through social media?
It’s effective, for sure, but if you have a personal injury claim pending in Honolulu, social media is not in your best interest. Here, Attorney Glenn Honda of Recovery Law Center explains why you should refrain from posting on social media after a car accident. Here’s the bottom line: Insurance adjusters can and will use it against you.
What Do Insurance Adjusters Look For After an Accident?
A personal injury claim is built on evidence. While your car accident lawyer is compiling evidence to support your claim, the insurance adjuster on the other side is looking for ways to undermine it.
Your social media accounts are full of tidbits — even your most innocent posts or photos — that can be woven together and used against you. Even posts made by your family and friends are fair game for an aggressive adjuster.
Beware of prying eyes. Even if all your social media accounts are protected with the strictest privacy controls, sometimes harmful information finds its way into the hands of the adjuster. It’s used as evidence to reduce your payout or, worse yet, prevent you from receiving a payout at all.
Adjusters hit the jackpot if they find information that proves your injuries are less severe than you claim, or that something you did before the accident may have actually caused the crash or worsened your injuries — driving under the influence or not wearing your seat belt, for instance.
Adjusters look for the weakest link. If they sense you lack self-control, they may try to friend you on Facebook or follow you on Instagram. They also may try to buddy up to your friends to get insider information about you and the accident. Even your posts on dating sites can be mined and used against you.
What to Do on Social Media After a Car Accident
Avoid doing anything on social media that could hurt your claim. You only have one opportunity to get this right, so you should leave nothing to chance. Tell your friends to refrain from posting anything about you or tagging you in photos on social media — past, present, or future.
If you see the need to delete anything from your accounts, ask your attorney first. It could be seen as an attempt to destroy evidence.
What Not to Do on Social Media After a Car Accident
Sharing information about your case on social media makes it public. You instantly give up any confidentiality protections. The defense can subpoena it and use it against you. It’s best to post nothing.
For this reason, keep in mind the following:
- Don’t reply to questions from your friends or family asking about how you’re feeling.
- Don’t post photos of yourself exercising or doing anything physical.
- Don’t post any medical information or anything from your attorney.
- Don’t post “check-ins.”
- Don’t accept “friend” or “follow” requests from people you don’t know.
- Don’t bad-mouth the insurance company.
- Don’t defend your actions during the accident.
- Don’t send texts or private messages.
- Don’t lie, especially about when events occurred. Everything online is time-stamped and can be used against you.
Contact Recovery Law Center If You Have Been Injured
If you’re the victim of a car accident in Hawaii, choosing the right personal injury lawyer is the most important decision you will make. Glenn Honda with Recovery Law Center brings more than 25 years of experience and a passion for helping injured people in Honolulu and throughout Oahu. There’s nothing to lose and everything to gain by scheduling a free consultation. Contact us now to get started.
