Posted in Wisconsin Workers Compensation Related News
Car Accident Lawyer Milwaukee, WI
Social media sites like Instagram, SnapChat, Twitter, and Facebook are popular sites for sharing details about one’s life with their friends and followers. Consequently, these social media sites have became a hotspot for insurance adjusters and lawyers who are looking for victims that are venting about their accident to the public. Although this type of venting may be a satisfying release, and even a method of coping with what happened, some things should not be discussed – at all. The simple reason for this is that you don’t know who will end up seeing these posts.
As a general rule of thumb, when you’ve been involved in a car accident, the less you say about it, the better off your case may be.
Using Social Media Could Ruin Your Car Accident Case
Car accident claims are often complex and confusing. If your lawyer has not already advised you to do so, or you have not retained a lawyer yet, there are precautionary measures you should take in the aftermath of the car accident. One of these measures involves using social media.
What you should realize right now is that the insurance companies are not on your side. They will begin working on your case as soon as you report it. One of their goals will be to exploit any opportunity available to lessen or deny your claim. Any details you discuss on public forums such as social media sites can be used against you.
It is recommended to refrain from posting anything about your accident. In other words, pictures, injury photos, angry posts,or anything else should be kept off of these sites entirely. It is possible the insurance company or the other side’s lawyers will do any one of the following:
Demand Access to Your Social Media Accounts – A defense lawyer has the right to access and review any pubic accounts to gather evidence.
Collect Evidence – Evidence may include photos of the accident and photos of you after the accident. Screenshots of timeline posts, conversations between you and your friends or followers, and also location check-ins might all act as evidence.
Use Whatever You Post Against You – If you have posted anything about your accident or other posts that may cast doubt on what you’re claiming, it may be used against you. For example, if you are claiming back and neck injuries, but posted a picture of you at skiing facility, the defense might argue that you’re injuries are not as severe as you’re claiming. Even if you were not actually skiing, but rather watching your children ski, the defense could argue that you put yourself in a dangerous situation that could involve falling on the slippery snow and ice.
To protect your claim, and avoid jeopardizing your ability to recover compensation, the best move you could make is to avoid discussing anything about the accident on social media. Even if your accounts are private, there is still a risk of sabotaging your claim. For instance, there have been known cases in which an insurance company creates “false” accounts to “friend” a user who had a private account. Before you upload anything – at all – to your social media account, you should consult a car accident lawyer Milwaukee, WI offers at Hickey & Turim, SC.
