Can Social Media Impact Your Injury Claim?

Social media like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram have completely changed how we communicate –not just with close friends and family, but with the world at large. Many people have found commercial and professional success thanks to these websites. About 65% of American adults use some form of social media. However, that same technology can also lead to the loss of thousands, perhaps even millions, of dollars.

In personal injury lawsuits, the plaintiff is expected to present evidence of injury. This includes the actual injuries, any loss of life enjoyment because of the injuries, doctor’s reports, etc. In contrast, the defendant’s role is to present evidence that these claims are not true or exaggerated at best. Before the internet, defense attorneys might hire private investigators to “dig up dirt” on the opposing party. With the invention of social media though, finding evidence to discredit opposing parties has never been easier.

It’s trivially easy for defense attorneys to check an opposing party’s social media, like Facebook or Twitter, for incriminating evidence. Suppose that a plaintiff claims he was injured in an accident and is unable to return to work because his right foot was crushed during the accident. If the plaintiff has Facebook pictures of himself hiking or running a marathon, a defense attorney would use it against the plaintiff. Similarly, plaintiffs should avoid posting pictures of the injury or mention any doctor visits. If there are any doctor visits that the defense doesn’t know about, the defense can demand the results of those visits be made available to the defendant.

What Can I Do to Protect Myself?

If a defense attorney can use social media to undermine a claim, the plaintiff stands to lose a significant amount, if not all of, his or her recovery. The most obvious solution would be to avoid posting anything on social media until after the lawsuit is over. No postings about vacations, your medical condition, your case, or anything else that could jeopardize your case. It’s not always obvious what type of posts could harm a case though, so consulting a lawyer would be advisable under these circumstances.

If avoiding social media is not an option, there are a few other ways of guarding against incriminating social media. First, change your privacy settings. Websites such as Facebook allow users to change who can view their accounts. Changing your privacy settings from “public” to “friends only” would be a prudent first move. Similarly, you should also ask friends and family to refrain from posting any content about you. Remember, even something as innocent as a picture of a vacation to Disneyland can potentially be used as evidence that you are not injured as you claim.