Does Social Media Hurt Your Injury Claim?

Social media can offer many benefits: keeping in touch with family and friends, learning new things, and discussing interesting topics. For most people, reading and posting on social media is a typical part of daily life. Unfortunately, social media can also have some disadvantages, especially if you’re pursuing compensation via a personal injury claim. Posting about your case can often do more harm than good.

At Boller & Vaughan, we’ve helped many Wisconsin residents navigate the complicated process of filing a personal injury claim. We understand that most people who post about their cases on social media are looking for support and advice. Our team of expert personal injury attorneys can provide that help in a secure, confidential way. Contact our office online or call 608-268-0268 to schedule an appointment to discuss your case.

How Social Media Can Harm Your Personal Injury Claim

When you’re involved in a personal injury claim, you have to think about both sides of the case. Your legal team is representing your interests, but the other side likely has attorneys as well. And their job is to find reasons to deny your eligibility for financial compensation. 

By posting on social media, you could potentially give your opponent’s lawyers information they can use to argue against your claim. Here are some examples of social media posts that could damage a personal injury case:

• Telling (or embellishing) the story of how you got injured
• Reassuring concerned friends and family members that your injuries aren’t serious
• Discussing confidential details of your case
• “Checking in” at the gym or allowing yourself to be geo-tagged in others’ posts
• Getting comments (especially those that contradict your story) from friends, family members, or coworkers who witnessed the event that caused your injury

Even a seemingly harmless post about an activity you enjoyed could be problematic because the defense could use it to imply that your injuries aren’t as serious as you claim or that you aren’t experiencing emotional pain and suffering. 

How to Protect Yourself on Social Media

Ideally, the best way to prevent social-media-related harm to your personal injury case is to not post on social media. However, if staying off social media entirely isn’t feasible, here are some additional steps you can take to protect yourself and your case:

• Change the access settings on your social media accounts from “public” to “private.”
• Disable settings that allow anyone and everyone to follow you; verify any new potential followers yourself.
• Avoid commenting on other people’s posts (even those that don’t seem related to your claim). 
• Reach out to friends and family members in person and ask them to avoid discussing your case online.

Generally, it’s best to post as little information as possible online while you are involved in a personal injury claim. If you aren’t sure whether a potential post could harm your case, seek advice from a personal injury attorney. 

Get Expert Support for Your Personal Injury Claim

The process to file a personal injury claim or lawsuit can be long and stressful. It’s tempting to talk about your frustrations on social media or share updates with your friends and family. However, even the most benign social media post can significantly impact your case and limit your ability to collect damages. It’s best to avoid discussing anything related to your case online.
If you’re posting online because you have questions or concerns about your personal injury claim, there’s a better option. Contact the personal injury attorneys at Boller & Vaughan. Our expert team can listen to your story in confidence and guide you through the claims process. To schedule a FREE consultation at our Madison, WI, office, call 608-268-0268 or fill out our online form.