In today’s society it’s normal to have the most personal information about yourself out in cyberspace. Most people do not think about what they do, who they do it with, and what they put on social media. The information that you post after an accident can absolutely affect the outcome of your claim. Insurance companies bank their outcome on the fact that they can prove you did something wrong. Even if you haven’t done anything wrong, social media could be a big part of your claim against the negligent driver’s insurance.
After you have been involved in an accident, it would be in your best best interest to set your account to private settings. As a personal injury lawyer Arlington TX trusts might suggest, you should make sure that you do not accept any friend requests from people that you do not recognize. Insurance companies hire people to follow and add you, hoping to find something that they can hold against you. To go a step further, you may also want friends and family to stop posting things about you as well. Even if your page is set to private and theirs is not, someone may be able to look up your name and see your information on someone else’s profile. If you have loss of life enjoyment, or depression claims and you or people you know post about enjoyment in your life, the insurance company may not believe you on how much the accident has affected your life. Never post about illegal substances or being under the influence of anything, even if you were not under the influence when driving. The insurance company could try to build a case about how careless you are, or about how irresponsible you may be. Do not join any discussions or groups that you may not know everyone personally. Always be cognizant of what you post on your social media page.
Limiting the amount of social media interaction you have after an accident is never a bad idea. If you do enjoy posting about your life, be mindful of what you are putting out there. Keep in mind that their could be other people following your social media and keeping track of everything you do and the activities that you are involved in. Only show people what you want them to see, and it doesn’t have to be your whole life. While you can remove yourself from public searches and make it harder for someone to track you, it is still on the internet and could be found through other information sources. Once something is on the internet, even if you take it down, it will always be on the internet.
Thanks to our friends and contributors from Brandy Austin Law PLLC for their insight into social media and car accidents.