Avoid Posting on Social Media After Your Accident

According to statistics from Statista, there are over 300 million social media users in the United States as of 2023. Many individuals use social media platforms—such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, and YouTube—to connect with other people, share information, and engage with news content. After an accident or injury, you may need to reconsider how you use social media. Posting information, photos, and comments about your accident might inadvertently affect your chance of receiving fair compensation for your injuries. 

Attorney Walter Gabriel has devoted his career to handling personal injury cases and protecting the rights of accident victims. As an experienced Georgia personal injury attorney, he can enlighten you about how posting on social media can affect your claims and what to do to protect yourself. Additionally, Attorney Walter Gabriel can walk you through the claims process and help you move forward during this difficult time. The firm is proud to represent clients across Atlanta, Alexandria, Dunwoody, and anywhere else in Georgia. 

Social Media & Your Image

The content you post on your social media pages creates a picture of your personality—for better or for worse. The kind of information you share, the comments you make, the photos you post, and all of your ‘likes’ and ‘shares’ can describe the type of person you might be. 

This image, though, might not actually be true. Unfortunately, a person who intends to make you appear untruthful, irresponsible, careless, or bad can easily judge you based on your social media presence. 

Your social media posts may contain information that can easily be misconstrued by an insurance company or claims adjuster. When they are looking for how to undervalue or deny your injury, these entities can easily take your posts and comments out of context and interpret them how they like. 

How Can Social Media Affect My Car Accident Case? 

Social media can truly impact your car accident case in various ways. Your social media posts can portray you in an inaccurate or reckless way. This may probably harm the credibility of your claims with the insurance carrier, judge, or jury. Also, your social media posts can indicate that your actions contradict your reported injuries. 

For instance, suppose you reported a leg injury after an auto accident. However, you decide to post photos of you dancing or going for a walk on your Facebook page. Any of these photos can easily make the insurance carrier become suspicious of the magnitude of your injuries, pain, or discomfort. Even if you’re in pain, doing those activities mean that you will need to go above and beyond to prove that you’re suffering additional pain due to your injuries. 

Please remain cautious of what you post on social media after your accident. The claims adjuster and insurance company are looking for different ways to deny or undervalue your personal injury claim. They can even hire a private investigator or use advanced technology to monitor you, your social media posts, and those who post about you. Once they find any contradicting information, this may be taken out of context to deny your claim or lower your settlement amount. 

Steps To Take To Protect Yourself

What you do—or avoid doing—after an accident or injury can affect the outcome of your claim. If you were hurt in a negligent accident, here are some insightful tips to protect yourself: 

• Avoid posting on social media after a car accident or injury. 

• Do not delete or make existing posts invisible to insurance carriers or claims adjusters, which would show you have something to hide. 

• Let your attorney guide you on how to take down and preserve posts on your social media pages. 

• Review your personal information and details on your social media accounts. 

• Activate the highest privacy levels on your social media accounts. 

• Make your posts visible only to your followers and friends. 

• Avoid accepting new followers or friends until you settle your injury claims. 

• Avoid posting or commenting on posts until you settle your claims. In fact, this may be a great time to take a break from social media. 

• Monitor posts that you’re tagged in. Notify your lawyer about any posts that may portray you in a reckless way. 

• If you absolutely must post, be careful about what you say.  

• Always discuss the consequences of your actions or inactions on social media with your attorney. 

An experienced personal injury attorney can adopt a proactive approach in order to protect your rights, enlighten you about the proper steps to take, and help you pursue the financial compensation you need. 

Legal Guidance You Can Trust

Upon filing an insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit, social media has the potential to make or mar your case. These social media posts qualify as electronically generated evidence that may be used by the insurance provider to deny or undervalue your claims. Consulting with a car accident attorney is crucial. 

Attorney Walter Gabriel is dedicated to offering compassionate representation and personalized attention to clients in their accident cases. As your legal counsel, he can investigate every aspect of your case and help you understand your next steps. 

Contact The Law Firm of Walter Gabriel, LLC today to schedule a simple case assessment with a car accident lawyer. Attorney Walter Gabriel can fight for your legal rights and help you pursue a favorable outcome. The firm is proud to represent clients across Atlanta, Alexandria, and Dunwoody, Georgia.