How Social Media Impacts Your Personal Injury Case

Posting about your car accident, slip-and-fall injury, or any other type of personal injury case on social media can often feel tempting. Whether you’re simply hoping to share your story with friends or want to turn followers against a negligent business, you may unintentionally harm your ability to seek compensation for your losses. If you speak with any personal injury attorney in Wichita, KS, they will tell you to stay quiet and keep the case offline, but why?

Why Does Social Media Impact Personal Injury Cases?

People post on social media about personal injury cases for many reasons. You may seek social media support and fundraising, retaliation, sympathy, or a platform to share your story. Regardless of your motives, sharing your story online gives the other party evidence they can potentially use against you during the claim evaluation process. 

Even if you post about your case on a private story or using a private account, your posts will still be fair grounds for evidence in the lawsuit. Reddit posts, Instagram photos, TikTok videos, Tweets, and more all count as social media evidence that may inhibit your ability to seek full compensation.

Your social media posts may go against the liability claim or medical records you submit to insurers. For example, if you claim that your injury barred you from working for two weeks at a somewhat physically demanding job, but you post a photo of yourself on a challenging hike one week after your injury, you may not be able to seek compensation for your lost wages. 

Beyond potential inconsistencies, social media can lead to misconstrued interpretations of evidence, potentially changing the narrative of your case. When you involve public opinion, things can quickly blow up. The other party could end up opening an entirely separate restraining order against you, for example, if people online begin sending them threatening messages or comments. 

The examples of what could go wrong when you bring your personal injury case online only extend from here. The bottom line is that you must keep the information private. 

Tips on Protecting Your Case

Keeping your case offline may seem obvious enough, but many people accidentally slip up. For example, if you post a normal photo of yourself with your injury showing and someone publicly comments, asking what happened, how will you respond?

We recommend the following to protect your case:

• Think carefully before making any posts.
• Understand that privacy settings will not keep everyone out.
• Do not discuss any details of your case online. 
• Avoid any apologies or admissions of guilt.
• Maintain consistency between your insurance claim and physical activities shown online.
• Only accept friend requests from people you know.
• Do not post your accident evidence online.
• Remember that it’s always better to stay quiet.
• Consult your legal representation before posting if you have questions.

Do You Need Legal Guidance?

If you’re interested in hiring a personal injury attorney to represent you, you’ve come to the right place. Call Larry Wall Trial Law today at (316) 265-6000 to discuss your personal injury case or fill out our online form.