Most people realize they have the “right to remain silent” and that anything they say “can and may be” sued against them in a court of law. Unfortunately, people often believe that this is limited to what they say to the police. It is not. If you have been involved in an accident in Rancho Cucamonga CA, and you need to file a personal injury claim against the at-fault party, you would be wise to keep quiet about it on social media and beyond.
At a minimum, follow these social media tips to avoid causing serious issues with your case. You can contact Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707 for a free legal consultation if you have been involved in an accident and require legal advice.
Make Sure All Social Media Accounts Are Set to Private
Our preference would be that all clients stop using social media entirely if they are involved in a personal injury case. However, many do not want to quit entirely. For those, we suggest setting all accounts to private. That said, do not assume that anything you post is off-limits. Even when set to private, it is likely admissible in court.
Do Not Accept New Friend Requests
While it might be deemed unethical for an attorney or someone working for them to pose as a new friend and gain access to your social media, that does not mean that other parties on the defense will not do so. For example, if you are involved in a car accident and another party is at fault, they could potentially friend you on social media and use the information they gained against you. Unless you are sure of who the person is, anyone who wants to be your “friend” while your case is pending should be ignored.
Never Discuss Your Case Online
Even if your account is private and you are not accepting new friends, do not discuss your case. Even something that seems entirely innocent could potentially be taken out of context to “prove” that your serious injury is not so serious after all. You should also ask friends and family not to discuss the case with you, and ask them to refrain from tagging you in posts and pictures until the case is settled. Again, you do not know how things could be taken out of context.
Do Not Discuss Your Recovery
If you are used to sharing a lot of information about your life, it can feel strange not to tell your followers about your medical recovery. You might even think that it would help your case to discuss how you are faring. Once again, this is false. Assume that everything you post will be seen by the other side and that it can be taken out of context.
When you work with Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas, we can go over any specific questions you have related to what you should and should not do online. Call us now at 909-982-0707 if you are in need of legal consultation.
