Why You Should Stay off Social Media After Filing an Injury Claim

According to The Statistics Portal, more Americans use social media with every passing year. In 2012, for example, 56 percent of the U.S. population used social media. A mere five years later, that figure had jumped to 81 percent.

Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram are great for keeping in touch with loved ones everywhere, and Recode reports that 67 percent of American adults get their news from social media.

If you have a pending personal injury claim, browsing the news feed of your favorite site is perfectly fine, but posting personal photos or statuses could ultimately jeopardize your case. Regardless of your profile’s privacy settings, these sites remain public forums, and insurance adjusters have ways to access much of the information that you post.

If you sustained serious injuries in a car accident and want a seasoned legal ally to protect your best interests during every stage of the proceedings, turn to the Cooper Law Firm. Attorney N. Eric Cooper is proud to represent clients throughout east Texas, and he can prevent you from making mistakes that might hurt your chances of recovering compensation, like posting about your case online. Call 903-297-0037 to schedule a free consultation with a personal injury attorney in Paris.

Why Should You Stay off Social Media After Filing a Personal Injury Claim?

At the end of the day, the objectives of even the most compassionate insurance adjusters are in direct opposition to those of the claimants. Whereas claimants want to secure a sizable settlement that will cover both the economic and non-economic damages they have incurred, adjusters want to negotiate down to the smallest figure possible.

Unfortunately for accident victims, insurance adjusters have all kinds of strategies for disproving seemingly legitimate claims, and scouring social medial is one of them. It may be obvious why you should not post about the case in question, but if you have filed a personal injury lawsuit, it is wise to avoid posting much on social media at all.

There is no way to predict how the opposing party might use something that you post against you. As a result, your attorney will likely advise you to minimize your online presence in general until the case has been resolved.

If you post photographs of a boat trip, for example, the insurance adjuster might argue that you have overstated your injuries. Since such an argument would seem valid—if you are well enough to go boating, surely you are well enough to return to work—it could severely limit the amount of compensation you end up securing.

Even if you explain that your crutches or wheelchair were just out of the frame and your friends had to carry you on and off the boat, the damage of posting such a photograph could be lasting. Likewise, if you post about enjoying a nice evening out, the opposing party might challenge the assertion that you are struggling financially as a result of the accident.

If you want to file a claim following a wreck that was not your fault, contact the Cooper Law Firm today for strategic guidance every step of the way. Call 903-297-0037 to schedule a free case evaluation with a personal injury lawyer in Paris. You can learn more about car accident claims in Texas by visiting usattorneys.com/car-accident/texas.