716-810-6140
If you were injured because of the negligence of another and have filed a personal injury claim as a result, you will want to understand the importance of not posting on social media. Read on to learn more and reach out to our skilled Buffalo, New York personal injury attorney.
Will insurance companies look at my social media?
Keep in mind that your social media accounts, profiles, posts, and messages are readily public to an investigator or even the insurance company dealing with your claim. An investigator could use your social media as a way to find or use some evidence for your suit. Furthermore, the insurance company could find ways to minimize your payout or deny your claim entirely. As part of their investigation, the insurer or investigator may use your social media accounts as a way to find out more details about your everyday life. This insight may provide them with information even if the posts are from the past or present. In order to limit or mitigate your risk, it may be best to stay inactive for the time of your claim.
Recognize that the investigator’s overall goal in exploring your social media is to uncover evidence that could hurt your claim. This evidence may include signs that you made up your injuries or that you are not as badly injured as you had expressed in your claim. They may look through your posts, pictures, videos, tagged locations, check-in locations, tagged photos, and other kinds of social media context for indications. The investigator will be searching for indications showing you are having a good time when you claimed that you lost quality of life to damage. The investigator will attempt to use anything they can find against you during an injury claim.
What should I consider when going through a personal injury claim?
- Do not post about any injuries. Any information that you post about injuries or medical care could provide your insurance company with too much information to use against you. This could also become an issue if you are not following the doctor’s recommendations.
- Do not post about the accident. Posting any information about your accident before any investigation could result in you publishing misinformation or accidentally incriminating yourself.
- This could have a negative effect on your case in addition to your personal reputation.
- Withhold from posting any photos, videos, or tags of any location or other people. Any signs of vacations, trips, fun nights out with friends, or spending time with family could damage your claim. This demonstrates that you are able to enjoy life despite your injuries.
- Tell any family or friends that they should not post anything about you or with you for the time being.
- While social media is great for remaining in contact with friends and family and giving life updates, it will not help you during the time of a personal injury claim. The things posted can only function as a way of hurting you as you are attempting to recover fair compensation for your damages. The best way to protect your claim is to freeze or temporarily halt your accounts.
Contact Our Experienced New York Firm
If you require legal representation for matters of personal injury in New York, look no further than Ramos & Ramos. Whether you were injured in an auto accident, a slip and fall, or under any other circumstances, our firm is on your side. To learn more about our team and how we can assist you, contact us today.
