There are around 4.8 billion social media users worldwide, and just about everyone has some form of social media. Because of this, the risk of social media impacting auto accident cases is much more significant. If you are in the middle of an auto accident case in Washington, this is something you need to be aware of. Social media can be beneficial in many instances, but you can also unravel your personal injury claim if used incorrectly.
If you are in the middle of a car accident case, you need to hire an experienced auto accident attorney. At NBF Accident Law, it’s our goal to achieve the best possible results for victims of accidents by fighting for them with purpose, listening better, being available and communicating, and representing our clients with courage and integrity.
So, keep reading to learn how to use social media responsibly to avoid having it negatively impact your accident case.
Public Records
In the world of social media, it is easy to forget the impact this can have on real life. The reality is that anything you post online can be accessible in the right circumstances. Even if you have your settings private, which a lot of social media platforms allow, it can still be used as evidence.
There have been plenty of instances where even private messages and posts were acquired as evidence in car accident cases. This is because people are more likely to admit guilt if they believe there is a certain level of privacy.
You also have to remember that anything you post publicly online is accessible by the defendant and insurance company. Anything you post in relation to the accident could very well become a part of the other driver’s case.
Character Assessments
There have been many recent instances where a person’s character was questioned based on their social media. This can happen since a car accident case can become quite personal regarding character assessments.
What you post online could reflect badly on your character and break down your case. Examples of this could include posting about a reckless lifestyle or being overly fake or dramatic about what you post. Anything you post online could draw your character into question, even if it is unrelated to the case.
Timeline Contradictions
Timelines are extremely important for car accident cases in Washington since they help with credibility. Social media can contradict timelines since any post or activity has a timestamp attached.
Timeline contradictions could be as simple as your timestamp showing that you were online when you said you were at a doctor’s appointment. Or it may show activity online at the time of the car accident. These are things that could unravel your credibility and bring up a negative character assessment.
Public Comments
Something a lot of people fail to think about is other people who are interacting with their social media posts. Your activity online may have nothing to do with your case, but others may leave incriminating comments.
For example, someone you know may leave a comment saying that you shouldn’t drive so fast. Or someone may tell you that they knew this would eventually happen. These are incriminating comments that draw your character into question, as well as your side of the story.
Using Social Media Responsibly After a Car Accident
If you are in the middle of a car accident case, you need to be careful when you are interacting online. This is something your personal injury attorney will most likely bring up and advise you on.
Generally, the best course of action is to limit what you do online as much as possible until the case is resolved. More complex cases can make it difficult to determine who is at fault, which is another reason to stay offline.
Don’t Post at the Scene
One essential rule for responsibly using social media is to avoid posting when you are at the accident scene. It will reflect poorly on your side of the story if you immediately go online and start posting about what just happened.
Not only could this later be used to cross-examine you, but it could draw your character into question and whether or not your injuries are serious.
Avoid Commenting or Updating
Your auto accident attorney will probably ask you to avoid talking about your car accident claim online until it is resolved. Posting details could expose private information or become a part of the insurance company’s claim against you.
You should also avoid giving any kind of updates online about how your case is proceeding. Updates go against your confidentiality with your lawyer and could show that you are not very serious about your case.
Don’t Share Photos of Damages
A very common form of social media used against people in auto accident cases is photos. It can be tempting to post physical injuries and property damage, but this is not in your best interest. These photos can later be used to go against your case and find discrepancies.
Generally, it is recommended to avoid posting any kind of photos online, even unrelated photos. If you are constantly updating your social media profiles, this could show that you have not suffered as much from the accident as you say.
Don’t Delete Posts
Anything you do online is tracked, so even deleting older posts is not recommended. Deleted posts are recoverable if the insurance company believes they are incriminating. It could also indicate that you have some kind of guilt, even if the photos aren’t related to the case.
Hiring NBF Accident Law Auto Accident Attorneys
In the world of social media, auto accident cases have had to adapt to this new form of evidence. If you are in the middle of a car accident case in Washington, you must be very aware of how you behave online.
At NBF Accident Law, we promise to fight purposefully to help you get the compensation you deserve while protecting the integrity of your case. Our lawyers have helped previous clients gather important digital evidence regarding their cases to get the best possible outcome.
For representation from an experienced personal injury attorney, schedule a consultation online or contact us directly at 206-923-8888.
