For 1.4 billion people, social media is a place where their every move, thoughts and feelings are shared. It may never cross your mind, but when it comes to a personal injury case, your actions on these sites may hinder your case.

With the popularity of these sites, don’t be surprised if insurance companies and defense lawyers go online to find information online that could potentially destroy your case.

I’ve been injured and there’s no way I can stay off social media. What do I do now?

First thing’s first. Check your privacy settings. Even if you are not involved in a personal injury case, you should limit your posts only to people you approve.

Avoid posting details about your accident, including information about your injury and/or recovery. This includes uploading videos and photos and even responding to others’ comments about your accident.

Remove any posts that can be used to limit your claim. Did you have a sore back or neck before your accident? These pre-accident posts can hurt your case as it can be used as evidence that the incident wasn’t the sole cause of your injuries.

Talk to your friends. Assume defendants and insurance companies can search your friends. Remind them to not post any information regarding your case.

Will these tactics help?

While we can’t promise these steps will completely secure you from information being found about you, we believe it can significantly help limit discovery of any negative evidence on your claim.

The only true way to make sure social media does not affect your personal injury case is to avoid it, and we know that can be hard for many.

If you have any question regarding your personal injury case and social media, do not hesitate to contact us at 515-263-1000.