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Don’t Post That! Social Media and Your Personal Injury Case

If you were hurt in a car crash, slip and fall, or any other type of accident in Palm Beach County, you may want to post about it on your social media accounts to update your friends and family members. While this is a popular approach, it is also extremely risky. If you decide to file a personal injury lawsuit against the party responsible for your injuries, your social media posts could jeopardize your ability to win your case.

The attorneys and the insurance company for the opposing party will be scouring your social media for evidence they can use against you. There are several ways that your posts could be used against you:

• They can be used to discredit your version of the incident. For example, if you post a picture of your car after your accident and there is something in the image that contradicts your version of the event and supports the opposing party, that could ruin your chances of winning your case in a South Florida court.

• Even innocuous, seemingly unrelated photos can negatively impact you. If you post a photo of yourself hanging out at a barbecue in Boca Raton with friends, the opposing party could use that image to claim that you must not be in pain since you were smiling and enjoying yourself in the picture.

• Past posts from before the incident can also hurt your case. If you are claiming that the accident caused you to have a traumatic brain injury (TBI), but have posts from before the accident about suffering from headaches, the opposing side could claim that you already had a TBI prior to the accident.

If your posts are public, anyone, including the opposing party, can see them and use them against you. If your social media account is currently public, you should make it private right away. However, that is still not a fool-proof solution. Someone on the opposing side could send you a friend request; if you accept it (which can sometimes happen inadvertently), they will have access to all of your social media posts. Additionally, something less common, but still possible, is that the opposing side could subpoena your social media posts if they have reason to believe there is important evidence in them.

If you have been seriously injured due to someone else’s negligence in Palm Beach County, you may be entitled to a significant amount of compensation for both economic and non-economic losses that you have suffered. However tempting posting on social media may be, it’s not worth the risk of losing the compensation that you are owed. Generally, your best approach is to take a break from social media until your case is resolved.

If you were injured due to someone else’s negligence, call ECanter Lawyers today. We will fight for you to receive every cent of compensation that you are owed. We will also advise you on how to handle your social media accounts while your case is proceeding.

ECanter Lawyers

When you are dealing with the chaos and pain of accidents and personal injuries, the last thing you need is technical, confusing legal language.  ECanter Lawyers breaks down the complexities and provides clear, informative answers so that you understand your legal options. 

For a quarter of a century, ECanter Lawyers has remained committed to honest, straightforward answers.  Named one of AVVO’s Clients’ Choice, ECanter Lawyers has helped clients receive multi-million-dollar verdicts, and millions of dollars in settlements.  ECanter Lawyers specializes in personal injury, motor vehicle accidents, medical malpractice, premises and product liability, and healthcare law.

With offices conveniently located throughout South Florida and 24/7 services, ECanter Lawyers personal injury law firm offers you the personalized attention that you need in order to maximize your compensation.