How Can Social Media Negatively Impact My PI Case?

Social media is the most popular and widely used mode of communication for keeping up with family and friends. An astounding 4.6 billion people worldwide use social media, and they spend an average of two and a half hours daily scrolling, posting, messaging, watching, reading, or just lurking around social media.

Sometimes, however, social media users share way too much information on their accounts and amidst the clickbait, family updates, humble brags, and filtered photos, random people can easily gain a wealth of personal information on just about anyone. Consequently, this oversharing phenomenon can and will negatively impact your personal injury case if you are not careful.

Photos of Your Activities Can Be Used Against You

Let’s say you’re demanding compensation for severe physical injuries you suffered in a car crash and then you post photos or videos of you exercising, swimming, or hiking. Seemingly innocent posts, right? Not to insurance claims adjusters and lawyers. They can and will use such posts to dispute the seriousness of your injuries and reduce or deny your compensation claim.

To limit the impact of social media misconstruing your limitations or pain level, stop posting. It is wise to check and secure your privacy settings. But even then, be extremely careful of what you post or even comment on.

Your Social Media Posts Can Be Used During Discovery

The discovery stage (if your case heads to trial) involves the sharing and exploration of both parties’ evidence. As with most forms of communication, social media posts are usually discoverable. This means if the at-fault party asks to see your social media, you’ll have no choice but to oblige. You should assume that once your file your lawsuit, any of your social media posts can and will be used against you.

You Cannot Possibly Control The Distribution of Your Social Media Posts

While you can try to limit which users can see your social media posts by fixing your privacy settings on all your accounts, things just have a way of popping up online. Sometimes, even without the consent or knowledge of the person in the post. You might send a photo to a friend or family member about your recent low-key and very simple hiking trip. Your friend or family member may post it or send it to someone else, not realizing that doing so would negatively affect your claim.

While your personal injury claim is pending, don’t use social media to share life updates. Opt for more traditional forms of communication, such as actual face-to-face interactions or over the phone to catch up with your loved ones.

Get In Touch With a Skilled Gwinnett County Personal Injury Lawyer Now

At Banks, Stubbs & McFarland, our Gwinnett County personal injury lawyers provide superior legal services to ensure that you receive the compensation that will suffice for all your accident-related damages. If you or a family member has been injured due to someone else’s negligence, talk to our Gwinnett County personal injury attorneys to explore your options for financial recovery. Call 770-887-1209 or complete our online form to schedule your appointment.