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Everyone is on social media these days, and it’s what many turn to when something happens in their lives. This is sometimes the case after an accident, too. Maybe you simply wanted to share news of your injuries, or maybe you wanted to post some pictures from a time before the accident. Whatever the reason, you should resist the temptation. The insurance company and at-fault party will likely use these posts to show you’re not that hurt, and it could hurt your claim for compensation.
Social Media Accounts are Public
Account on social media websites, such as Facebook and Twitter, are generally public. That means anyone can go online, find your account, and use the pictures and posts that you upload. This is the backbone of these sites, because this type of sharing is intended to help people get more followers.
Unfortunately, the fact that these sites are public means that after an accident, even the insurance company could view and use your posts. That could be especially harmful to your claim.
For example, if you were in an accident, your back may have become seriously injured. If you post a picture of you swinging your two-year-old niece around, the insurance company will use that against you. They will say you are not that hurt and so, you don’t deserve compensation, or don’t deserve as much compensation as you are entitled.
How to Protect Yourself
Of course, the best thing you can do to protect yourself from these kinds of tactics is to simply not post anything on social media. This way you won’t be giving the insurance company or at-fault party any ammunition to use against you. However, not posting anything onto social media won’t stop the insurance company from going back through your old posts, and they might.
For this reason, it’s important to not only stay off social media, but to also lock your profiles down. All social media websites today have privacy settings and yours should be set to the tightest setting possible. This means only people on your friends list or that are following you can see your posts. If someone else wants to see them, they’ll have to ask and at that time, you can always deny the request.
Lastly, remember that it does you no good to stay away from social media if your friends and family members are still posting pictures of you. For this reason, you must ask your loved ones to refrain from posting any pictures or information about you. You should also ask them to avoid tagging you in anything, which will also open the door to prying eyes seeing something they shouldn’t.
Were You Hurt in an Accident? Call Our Pennsylvania Personal Injury Lawyers
If you were injured in an accident that was someone else’s fault, you need help with your personal injury claim. Our Philadelphia personal injury attorneys can provide you with all the advice you need throughout your case. We will advise on the major concerns you have, such as how much your claim is worth, as well as the minor details, such as staying off social media. We do this to get you the compensation you deserve after an accident. Call us today at (215) 610-3440 for your free consultation to learn more about how we can help you if you’ve been hurt.
