If you make an insurance claim, the insurance adjuster assigned to your case will likely research any publicly available information about you. Things you report online are also discoverable if your case goes to court, so it is vital that you act responsibly with your social media after an accident. While many lawyers might recommend completely staying off social media while your case is pending, here are some tips in case you can’t quite go that far.
Adjust Your Privacy Settings
The first thing you can do to protect yourself after an accident is to ensure all your social media profiles are set to private. This can make it more difficult to find them and can limit others’ access to them. Adjust your settings so only your friends can see what you post. If the social media platform allows it, prevent friends from writing on your social media stream or sharing your posts. Still, keep in mind that it may still be possible for insurance companies, defense attorneys, and other parties may still be able to gain access to your social media channels, so this step alone will not completely protect you.
Be Careful About What You Say
If you maintain your social media profiles during your case, be careful about what you say. Consider how anything you say could be interpreted in court. Some things to avoid discussing on your social media accounts include:
- Details about the accident, including how it happened or who is responsible for it
- Any apologies or regrets involving the accident
- Your injuries or treatment
- Anything you say to your lawyer
- Statements that you are fine or doing well
- Statements regarding physically demanding activities you are involved in
Keep in mind the insurance company will try to find anything it can to justify denying or minimizing the value of your claim, so you don’t want to give them anything they can use against you for these purposes.
Avoid Adding New Friends
Insurance adjusters might try to infiltrate your social media accounts by becoming your “friend” or “follower.” Don’t accept any new friend or follower requests. Also, check if a new friend of a friend seems to be spending too much time on your social media pages.
Avoid Being in Pictures
While your case is pending, you also want to avoid being captured in pictures. It might seem like a small thing, but a picture of you smiling could be used as evidence that your injuries are not as serious as you claim or that you were not really injured. Ask your friends not to tag you in any pictures, too, so that the insurance company will not be able to get pictures from your friends’ pages.
Talk to an Experienced Austin Car Accident Lawyer for More
At FVF Law, we have more than 100 years of combined legal experience representing people who have been injured through no fault of their own. Our experienced car accident attorneys in Austin understand how social media can affect a claim and regularly advise clients on how to use it responsibly during their cases. If you were hurt in an accident and are looking for answers, please call us today at (512) 982-9328 to learn more.
