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Do Not Let Social Media Take Away Your Right to a Personal Injury Claim

Almost 70% of the people in the United States use some type of social media. These apps can make it fun and easy to stay in contact with friends and family, they can also have negative effects. One example is the effect they can have on personal injury claims. Keep reading to learn more about how social media could affect your right to file a personal injury claim, and then contact Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707 for a free legal consultation.

Insurance Companies Are Looking for Ways to Reduce or Deny Your Claim

Many people assume that it is okay to post something about their injury on social media, as long as their post is set to “friend’s only.” This is false. The truth is that the attorneys for the insurance company are looking for ways to reduce your claim or, ideally, deny it outright. Do not assume that they cannot access your social media profiles.

Instead, assume that everything you are writing and posting will be used against you during your case. Imagine your post blown up and glued to a poser board and presented to the jury. Would it harm your case? Could it harm your case? At Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas we believe it is best to err on the side of caution and not post anything at all during the litigation period – even if it seems entirely unrelated to the accident itself.

The Insurance Company May Show That You Have Made Contradictory Statements

One of the goals of the insurance company is to show to the jury and / or judge that you are not a reliable witness. They will look for examples of contradictory statements you have made about your injuries.

For example, if someone on social media heard about your accident and asked how you were and you said, “Fine,” this could potentially be used as evidence that you are no longer injured or that you are not badly injured. If someone asks if you are recovering and you say “slowly but surely,” this could be used as evidence that you are progressing at a faster rate than you actually are.

The Insurance Company May Consider Photos to Be Incriminating

The insurance adjuster can go two ways with any photos they find of you. They could use photos to show that an injury you received in the accident was actually pre-existing. On the other hand, they could use photos to show that you are not as injured as you say you are. For example, if there is a picture of you out with your friends having a drink, they may argue that your quality of life has not been affected.

As you can see, even the seemingly innocent posts you make on social media have the potential for negatively affecting your case. Contact Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707 to learn more about how to maximize your compensation and request a free legal consultation.