woman on social media

Think Twice Before Using Social Media After an Accident

By David Hammond
Partner

Rarely a day goes by that person does not access their social media accounts. Social media has become ingrained in our everyday lives. We have come to depend on it to provide us with updates on friends and loved ones near and far. It provides a sense of community and support to many. We post our thoughts, share our feelings, and show people a glimpse into our lives. There are so many benefits of social media, but it does not come without its risks. This can be particularly and poignantly true when it comes to the time following an accident. Accident victims risk more than they may know when using social media while they have an injury claim pending with an insurance company. Here is why you should think twice before using social media after an accident.

Think Twice Before Using Social Media After an Accident

Insurance companies investigate claimants. This is a fact. You may not believe it, but insurance companies have vast resources and they use it to protect their bottom line. This means looking into the lives of claimants to see if there are any weaknesses in their accident claims. Insurance companies will dispatch investigators to follow claimants around, covertly taking pictures of their day to day comings and goings. It will also involve a thorough search of the claimant’s online presence.

Well, you may think that there is nothing on your social media that could hurt your claim. You may think that you would never post anything that would hurt your claim. The trouble comes with the fact that even the most seemingly innocent social media activity can end up undermining your claim or completely destroying it.

For instance, you may post something about the accident after it happened. It may be just a simple “I was in an accident, but I am okay.” Innocent enough, right? Well, saying you are “okay” after an accident can be twisted around as you saying you were not hurt in the accident. This is a sticking point if you have a pending injury claim related to that very accident. It doesn’t matter if your intention was only to assuage the fears of your loved ones that you may have been seriously injured, an insurance company will use it as it can.

After an accident, you have to carry on with your everyday life despite the new challenges you may face. Doing this and posting evidence of this on social media can read very differently. For instance, you may have posted pictures from your weekend hike or kayaking trip. When these kinds of pictures get in front of an insurance adjuster, however, they can spin it in a different direction. They can claim that it does not look like you are that hurt or that you are suffering too much after an accident. Posts and photographic evidence of things like this can be compelling. Even if the reality is different, pictures like this can be difficult to refute.

Personal Injury Attorneys

After an accident, call CDH Law. We know the tricks of the insurance company and we are not only here to protect you from them, but to stand up and fight for you. Contact us today.

About the Author
David is a former military prosecutor and defense lawyer with over a decade of experience fighting for service members and their families. He served nine years and two combat tours as an active duty US Army officer, then joined the Reserves and settled down in Syracuse to be near family. Now representing people across Central New York charged with serious felonies, misdemeanors, DWIs, and traffic offenses, he puts the same level of commitment into his civilian law practice. If you have any questions regarding this article, you can contact David here.