How Social Media Can Screw Up Your Legal Matter: What Can I Do To Try And Protect Myself With Social Media?

August 22, 2019

Florida Attorney Explains how You Can Ruin Your Lawsuit Through your Social Media Use

Although the use of social media has many advantages, there are also consequences of social media if not used properly. When it comes to Florida Personal Injury cases, the use of social media such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter can have a negative effect on the outcome of your injury lawsuit in Florida.

The insurance adjusters of the opposing council are thorough in investigating social media sites of the injured party to try to find anything regarding the accident of injury that can be used against them. Luckily, there are ways to use your accounts wisely to prevent your information from being wrongly used or falling into the wrong hands during your Florida injury lawsuit.

Privacy Settings for Social Media After an Accident in Florida 

Every popular social media site has privacy options on the setting tab attached to your profile. It is always smart to make sure that your account is a “private account,” which means that the only people that can view your posts are the ones that you’ve accepted as your friend and they will not be viewed by anyone randomly searching your account.

Each post you make on Facebook also has an option to select who views that post and if it is on “public” then anyone who clicks on your profile can see that picture or status change.

If your accounts or posts are “public,” then an insurance adjuster or investigator will be able to see your social media posts. Insurance companies will sometimes “spy” on you after an accident to discern whether you are truly injured, or whether you are truly as injured as you say you are.

Accepting Friend Requests on Social Media After an Accident in Florida 

No matter the situation, it is always imperative to be careful when accepting friend requests from anyone on social media.

Make sure you definitely know who the person sending you a friend request is. Just because their profile says they live in your city does not mean it’s wise to accept their friend request or to ask them to be your friend if you do not personally know them. If you’ve made your account private, a person will only be able to view your posts once you’ve accepted their friend request.

What You Post on Social Media After an Accident Could Affect your Case and your Settlement Offers

In general, it is always best to be cautious of what you post online and on social media. When an injury lawsuit is involved, it is even more imperative to be sure not to post anything that can be taken the wrong way.

For example, do not post anything that shows any type of physical activity if you are involved in if you have an ongoing personal injury case. For example, if you have an injury that you say changes how you walk, but you post on Instagram about your daily jogs – an insurance company could try to use that as evidence against you.

In addition, you can mark in your settings to prevent anyone from “tagging” you in a picture or post without your permission. The insurance adjuster is able to spin whatever they see on your social media in their favor to discredit your claim. Even if a friend posts an older photo, and tags you – an insurance company may think it’s recent and use it as evidence against you. Often people post statuses about their accident to update their Facebook friends online as well, but that is not at all a smart decision if you plan on pursuing a claim against those involved.

Injured in Florida? Our Accident and Injury Attorney offers FREE Consultations

At the Law Office of Andrew G. Rosenberg, P.A we aspire to get you the best results and compensation from your injury lawsuit, which is why we always advise that the best way to completely avoid social media affecting your case is to not post at all while your case is open.

The Law Office of Andrew G. Rosenberg, P.A. is here to help people who have been injured due to someone else’s fault. If you’ve been hurt in any type of accident you need to speak with an experienced Florida accident lawyer as soon as possible.

Please contact us online or call our Coral Springs office directly at (954) 755-7803 to schedule your free consultation. We proudly serve Florida residents including all of Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton Miami-Dade County, Broward County, Palm Beach County, and all points in between.

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