How Social Media Can Hurt Your Personal Injury Claim

Social media serves many purposes for various needs: connecting with old friends, making new connections, sharing opinions on topical matters, or finding camaraderie in like-minded groups. While these reasons all have their justifications, you should be aware of the ways social media can harm your legal situation – especially your personal injury case.

We know the digitized world makes information security a bit muddy. However, Bowman Law personal injury attorneys are committed to supporting you through complicated legal waters, which means outlining the dos and don’ts of using social media when you have a personal injury case.

Read More: Not Sure If You Need Legal Support After an Accident? We Can Help

What Are Personal Injury Cases?

If you’ve been hurt because of someone else’s negligence, you might be entitled to compensation for damages and injuries. Personal injury claims typically involve physical injuries, but they can also encompass emotional and psychological harm. As personal injury attorneys, we aim to recover damages to cover medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, or other related costs so you can recover and move forward. Even if you think you may share some responsibility for your accident, do not let that deter you from contacting an accident lawyer. 

Read More: Don’t Be Fooled by Misinformation About Personal Injury Cases

A New Form of Evidence

It might seem like an overused phrase, but the adage that you can never truly erase social media content from the internet rings true for legal cases. While social media is relatively new to the judicial system, it has quickly become one of the biggest risks for those building a legal case because social media informs public opinion and can impact personal injury claims.

You might be surprised to learn that social media content is fair game for personal injury lawsuits. Your social media posts, comments, and behavior are subject to the same level of scrutiny as other types of evidence. As one Forbes article notes, communications from social media sites are appropriate pieces of evidence, and this includes private messages and pictures of you. Even deleted social media content can be recovered and used as evidence, thanks to new encryption technology that can unearth erased content. Furthermore, more courts now allow social media evidence to be used when it’s considered significantly relevant, even if privacy concerns are raised.

By using social media cautiously, you can protect yourself from legal implications later on. We know there is no set rulebook for navigating the internet, but we have tips you can follow to ensure your case is solid and void of negative social media evidence.

Social Media and Personal Injury Claims

Guidelines for using social media with caution apply to nearly all legal situations. Still, if you’ve been unfairly harmed in a personal injury situation, there are some unique elements to keep in mind. 

While every case is different, there are a few possible ways misusing social media can negatively impact your case. Be sure your online activity reflects your injury case.

For example, sharing online content of you traveling, working out, and being active can contradict injury claims. Even content about your health can be scrutinized and used against you to claim you are unharmed. 

Beyond the physical injuries you might claim, your emotional and mental injuries are just as vulnerable to legal scrutiny online. Posts or online activity that suggest you are happy or healthy can inform public opinion that you aren’t suffering from psychological distress like anxiety, depression, or PTSD.

Our lawyers are prepared to contextualize online evidence and help you recoup damages you deserve. Still, being mindful of your social media activity can help your lawyers fortify your case and earn you as much compensation as possible.

Read More: If You’re Not Sure Where to Start When Hiring an Attorney, Look No Further

Your Expert Personal Injury Lawyer

If you’re one of the nearly 400,000 people a year who file a personal injury claim, you probably want every chance you can to collect the compensation you’re entitled to. Our expert personal injury lawyers are prepared to take on your case with compassion and guidance. 

You don’t have to be in the dark when it comes to personal injury claims and using social media wisely. If you’ve been injured because of someone else’s negligence, don’t wait to seek guidance. We are fully committed to your justice and recovery and are ready to help. Call us at 720-863-6904 or send us a message to schedule a free case evaluation.