Why Personal Injury Victims Should Avoid Facebook And Other Social Media
If you have suffered a personal injury, then you should be careful of what you post on social media. Many people have not been properly compensated because of the negative perceptions created by their social media posts. Here are a couple ways that social media can ruin your personal injury claim:
1) Your Posts Could Minimize the Seriousness of Your Injury
If you post a photo of yourself on vacation or doing something that looks like a fun activity (post injury of course), then this can be used against you. The defense attorney may assume that your injuries are not as serious as you claim if you post photos of yourself having fun. They may also assume that you do not need compensation if you can afford to do fun activities. The job of the defense is to minimize your injuries and discredit your claim and to make you look bad in front of a jury.
2) Badmouthing the Defendant
Regardless of how you feel about the defendant, you should avoid posting your feelings on social media. Anything that you say can be used against you and a social media post lasts forever. The defense may accuse you of exaggerating your claims just so that you can get money. An angry post can also be used to paint you as a bitter person. Either way it will look bad to a jury.
Why Social Media can Ruin a Claim
Always remember that social media posts can “go viral” and spread very quickly. There are over 1 billion people on Facebook, with one hundred million “active” users. Twitter is home to over 330 million active users. The posts you make on social media can potentially be shared with millions of people. These are real numbers.
If you need a personal injury lawyer in Houston, contact Sigmon Law, PLLC today to schedule your case consultation.
We can help increase your chances of getting compensated for your injuries. We can also advise you on what you should and should not do while you are pursuing a claim.