Social media takes up a significant portion of people’s lives. Many people check their preferred platforms multiple times a day and use social media activity as a way of remaining connected to their community of friends, work connections and extended family.
The more exciting or emotional an experience is, the more likely it is to drive significant engagement on your social media profile. Posting pictures of a crash will almost certainly lead to reactions, messages and comments. Beyond that, needing to tell everybody you know individually that you recently got into a car crash will take a lot of time and involve repeating yourself.
Is it a better option to post details of your crash on social media to tell everyone about what happened at the same time?
Social media content could affect your rights
Both insurance companies and lawyers that defend those facing personal injury claims know that social media can be a treasure trove of evidence for court. What people share online, even when using careful privacy settings, could affect their rights to insurance benefits or their case in a personal injury lawsuit.
It may be possible for attorneys to access content that you have removed entirely or made private, which means that there is no safe way for you to share details about your car crash on social media. Any pictures or statements that you make could eventually play a role in your court case and might diminish what compensation you receive.
Lawyers might use your wording to claim that you were partially to blame for a wreck or might even accuse you of defamation based on how you described the collision.
A full social media vacation may be necessary
Posts about the crash itself aren’t the only concern if you need to go to court or settle a large insurance claim. Other content talking about your daily life could provide ammunition for defendants and insurance companies trying to claim that your injuries have not negatively affected your daily life.
The less someone shares on social media when dealing with the aftermath of a car crash, the less likely they are to accidentally share something that prevents them from getting the financial support they need. Knowing what steps to take and what mistakes to avoid after a motor vehicle collision will help protect you both legally and financially.