If you are like most people, you might not like the idea of deactivating your social media accounts during your personal injury proceedings. However, saying the wrong thing could land you in hot water—especially if you have posted about your case in the past. Social media comments are admissible in court, which is why you should be careful. Here are three social media tips you should use until you settle so you can avoid trouble:
1: Check Your Privacy Settings
Who can see your posts? If you have your social media accounts set to "public," your comments might be out there for the world to see. Go through your account settings with a fine-toothed comb, and make sure that you feel comfortable with everyone that sees your posts. Although comments can be deleted, you never know who might be taking a screen shot of your pictures, comments, or timeline.
2: Be Careful What You Post
After being involved in a bad accident, you might not think twice before sharing your opinion with family and friends. Some people even make the mistake of posting picture of the accident online for the world to see. Unfortunately, you never know how someone else will interpret your comments or view the scene of the accident. For example, if you post frequently about being broke, and then you make a comment about "cleaning up" after your car accident in court, another legal team could use the information to delegitimize your case.
If you can't break free from social media for a few months, be extremely careful when you post. Consider running comments by your lawyer, so that you can protect your public image.
3: Skip Strange Friend Requests
Everyone loves a large pool of friends, which is why some people accept any friend request that comes their way. Unfortunately, those super-strict privacy settings won't matter much if you friend anyone who asks. Believe it or not, some lawyers intentionally send friend requests to parties that they sue, just to see if they can gain access to the other person's posts, friend list, and liked pages. Until your lawsuit is settled, make a point to skip strange friend requests. Keep in mind that you can always go back and accept friend requests later, when you aren't in the middle of trying to prove your case.
By using your social media account carefully, you might be able to avoid trouble, and get the settlement that you deserve. For assistance, tlak to an attorney like Gelman Gelman Wiskow & McCarthy LLC.
Share28 September 2015
When I was injured in a slip and fall accident a few years ago, my family and friends had a hard time relating to the things I was going through. While some people thought that my decision to file a lawsuit was frivolous, others were under the impression that I would walk away as a millionaire. Their lack of personal experience with this type of legal problem left me feeling alone during one of the most difficult times in my life. That is why I decided to start this blog so that accident victims from all over would have somewhere to come to get the information and support that they need. I truly hope that this page can be that place for you.