Many, if not most of us, use social media these days. Whether you use Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or all of these platforms and more, chances are you share a good chunk of your life online with others, no matter how mundane or intimate the post might be. Generally, this is not too big of an issue for most, but if you are involved in a personal injury lawsuit, this could be immensely detrimental to the outcome of your case, jeopardizing your chances of obtaining the compensation you deserve.

You might feel incredibly frustrated during this time and while social media might look like the perfect place to vent, anything you post can ultimately be taken out of context or used against you. If you need to talk about your case, turn to your attorney or a trusted family member or friend. Do not post it online for everyone to see.

Here are some reasons why you should unplug from social media until your personal injury case is resolved:

• Pictures can speak louder than words: If you are trying to get compensation for pain and suffering, claiming that the injury has affected your ability to enjoy life, but are seen smiling and laughing in pictures, the opposing side will argue that you are not as injured as you claim to be. Even if you were just trying to appear happy because you were at a friend’s birthday party or simply do not want others to feel sorry for you, pictures like these can easily be taken out of context and make you seem like a liar. If you are tagged in such pictures, ask that they be taken down, or untag yourself.

• Oversharing gives insurance companies an advantage: You should absolutely never post anything about your claim or the accident, including meetings that you have with your attorney, doctor, and even your own insurance company. Giving social media a play-by-play of what is going on in your case is a great way to give the at-fault party’s insurance company some helpful insight into your case and how they can strengthen their argument against you. Keep these meetings private and refrain from posting about your case in general. Divulging this kind of deeply personal information will only harm you in the end.

• Replying can be dangerous: Friends and family might be concerned about you, which could lead them to channel this concern through social media. If you see someone you know make a post about your injury or case, do not add fuel to the fire by replying to it. Instead, contact them privately and ask them to take down the post and to no longer discuss your case or anything that relates to it in the future. Explain to them that doing so can potentially harm your claim.

If you choose to continue to use social media, here are some tips on how to play it safe:

• Update your privacy settings to allow only your friends to view your posts. That said, bear in mind that even heightened privacy settings will not safeguard you against the possibility of your posts being used against you as evidence, so continue to be wary of what you post.

• Ask your friends not to post anything related to your situation. This should include photos, videos, and status updates.

• Prior to litigation, remove anything from your past posts that could be misinterpreted or taken out of context and used against you. It is important that this is done before your case goes to litigation since a judge might prohibit you from making changes to your accounts once the case starts.

New Jersey Personal Injury Attorneys

If you recently sustained injuries due to someone else’s negligent or careless actions, you need a skilled personal injury attorney on your side to help you fight for the compensation you deserve. At Brandon J. Broderick, Attorney at Law, we do everything we can to ensure the process of filing a claim is done as efficiently and effectively as possible to ensure your success.

Contact our office today at (201) 870-1909 to schedule a free initial consultation with a knowledgeable member of our legal team and find out what we can do to help you.