Should I Stay off Social Media While My Case Is Pending?

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Should I Stay off Social Media While My Case Is Pending?Social media has become a pillar of modern life. It’s so commonplace, in fact, that roughly half of the world’s population has at least one account.

Platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram have made people more inclined than ever to turn to their friends and loved ones online for support and encouragement. Gone are the days of writing a letter or making a phone call when you want to catch up with someone.

If you were hurt in some kind of accident, though, and you have a pending personal injury claim, you should think twice before posting anything online. Because people can document virtually every aspect of their life on social media—and many do—insurers have found that monitoring online activity often yields the evidence needed to deny or at least devalue the cases they review.

Since there’s no way to be sure how the claims adjuster might interpret what you post, it’s best to stay offline until your case has been resolved. Thankfully, if you cannot disable your accounts temporarily, you can still take steps to protect yourself.

Let’s take a look at some of the most effective ways to keep from jeopardizing your pending claim on social media:

1. Tighten Your Privacy Settings

If your profiles are visible to more than just approved connections, adjust your privacy settings so they’re not. While the claims adjuster may still be able to access some of your posts, stricter privacy settings will provide an added layer of protection.

2. Filter New Requests

After adjusting your privacy settings, you may get in the habit of approving requests automatically. As long as your claim is pending, though, you should review potential connections carefully before hitting “Accept.”

Do not accept requests from people whom you don’t recognize. Some of them could be from the insurance company and may simply be trying to gain access to your profile.

3. Evaluate Your Posts

Since there’s no way to contain something once you put it online, it’s important to scrutinize every post carefully before publishing it. If there’s even a chance its contents could be used to challenge your credibility regarding the extent of your injuries or the severity of your damages, do not post it. It’s also advisable to avoid posting anything about:

  • The accident in which you were hurt;
  • Your recovery process;
  • The direction in which you intend to take your case;
  • Your expenditures; or
  • Your social life.

If you want to keep friends and loved ones updated on your condition, do so in person or over the phone instead.

Call (248) 385-5704 to Discuss Your Case with a Detroit Personal Injury Attorney

At Seva Law Firm, we understand the physical, emotional, and financial toll that serious injuries can take on the whole family. If you were hurt through no fault of your own, we’ll help you pursue the compensation needed to make your life whole again. Call (248) 385-5704 or use our Online Contact Form to set up a free consultation with a personal injury lawyer in Detroit.