Caution: Social Media & Personal Injury Claims

According to Backlinko, out of 7.82 billion people globally, 50.64% use social media networks and more than 80% of those users post and engage actively. This means that a simple online search can reveal more and more information about a person. Companies, attorneys, insurance companies, law enforcement, and other individuals rely more heavily on online research to conduct investigations and background checks. What does this mean? BEWARE WHAT YOU POST ON SOCIAL MEDIA!

You may have heard the stories of bosses busting employees for taking a day off while utilizing sick time just by searching social media. What you may not have heard of is the many ways opposing counsel can use your online information to discredit your case or build a case against you.

A simple Google search can reveal a lot about a person, and legal teams and insurance companies employ investigators to dig up online information from personal social media accounts. So, what can you do to protect yourself?

Update Your Social Media Privacy Settings

Most social media websites offer easy ways to update your privacy settings. Limiting the people who may view your posts is a significant first step to protecting your privacy. Opposing counsel and investigators are free to use any information that is publicly available against you in court. This can even include what others post about you, so it’s also important to limit what others can freely post about you or tag you in on social media.

Careful of the Friends You Keep

You may get hundreds of friend requests each month, but be careful about who you approve. You may unknowingly accept someone whose only goal is to collect information about you that they can use in litigation. When you accept a friend on social media, you effectively give them a key inside your private life. 

Don’t Overshare on Social Media

Anything you post online will leave a digital footprint for years to come. While you may understand the dangers of posting things like your social security number, bank accounts, or addresses, bad people can use much more private information against you. For example, many social media websites have location tracking. When you post a photo or comment, your location could be tracked by thieves who use that information against you. Furthermore, your location and timestamp could be used against you in court.

Personal Injury Lawsuits and Social Media: The Safest Bet

Don’t post anything about your case or the accident, and make sure your accounts are on lockdown. The safest bet? Deactivate your account until your lawsuit is over. Anything an investigator can find and use against you, they will.

Consult a Personal Injury AttorneyIf you have been injured in an accident and believe you have a case, contact Saladino & Schaaf today or call us at (270) 444-0406 (Paducah, KY) or (270) 753-1529 (Murray, KY) to schedule a free consultation with our team. You may be entitled to compensation for your injuries. However, you must act quickly. There are time limits on legal actions.