How Social Media Can Impact Your Injury Case
The new trend is to document everything that happens in our lives on our social media accounts. For example, a Facebook post to talk about a recent bereavement, or uploading vacation pictures on Instagram, whether good or bad. The goal is to let the world know through social media.
While in most situations sharing those memories about your life through social media accounts might not be a bad thing, when you have legal issues, especially one for a personal injury case, it is a bad idea.
Legal experts advise that it is best to keep a low profile on social media during a trial. This is because it could adversely hurt your case at the end of the day. Here are some reasons why it is a bad idea to post about your injury case on social media and how it can affect your case.
Check-Ins
Foursquare, Facebook, and some other social media platforms have a feature called check-in. It allows you to show your interest in upcoming or happening activities. You might wonder how this feature can harm your injury case. It can if you signify interest in an activity that belittles the injury you are claiming.
For example, someone with a dislocated ankle shouldn’t be checking in for a soccer match. It shows the degree of your injuries is not as severe as you claimed in your lawsuit. Everything about these cases is optics. They must all look as they seem.
The first thing the defendants and their lawyers try to do is harm your reputation and integrity. Please don’t give them ammunition by bringing unnecessary attention to yourself through your social media accounts.
Your Testimony Might Differ
In human nature, to embellish a tale when telling it to an audience, a slip on a wet floor might become a battle with a robber in a dark alley when retold to your friends and followers. Everyone understands this fundamental human flaw, including the defendants.
They would go through your accounts with a fine comb to find out everything you have written. If your testimony under oath in court differs from that you told on social media, you have a credibility problem, and the defendants can claim they don’t which account of your story to believe.
When your credibility is gone, it weakens your case. This need to protect your integrity makes it vital to keep your version of the incident for the court.
Comments from Potential Witness May Affect Your Case
You are not the only one who should keep off social media, your friends, and your family. Anyone who would be your witness should do too. Everyone close to you that might have an insight or opinion about your case should keep such statements to themselves and not put them on social media as they might fall into the wrong hands.
If anyone close to you posts unsolicited information about your progress from injury, or pictures of you partaking in activities you shouldn’t, then you should know it adversely affect your case. Experts advocate that not only should you avoid social media during your injury case, but people close to you also should too.
It Might Diminish the Severity of Your Injuries
Consider this scenario. A man falls on a wet floor in a supermarket. He claims he has a broken hip and can’t walk properly or constantly in pain. The opposing lawyer gets hold of a picture the identical man posts on Instagram hanging out with the guys after a game of rugby.
This picture nullifies the man’s claims and ensures that the man has lost his case through his carelessness. No matter how appealing it is, do not give anyone anything to use against you by posting on your social media accounts.
How to Protect Yourself and Your Injury Case
Do Not Post Anything Concerning Your Case
If you have to post anything about your social media accounts, it has nothing to do with your case. It might be a drag not being able to post about something monumental happening in your life. Trust me, in the long run, you will grateful you didn’t.
Try not to Accept New or Unknown Friend Requests During the Duration of the Trial
Though it is unethical for the opposing lawyer to try to get any form of contact with you, they can monitor your social media activity by sending you friend requests. If your privacy settings are for only friends to access your wall, then accepting their friend requests gives them the same access.
Limit Those That Can Access Your Page
One of the beauties of social media platforms is determining those who can access and interact with your page. Go to the Settings, then Privacy Settings to limit those that can see the posts on your wall.
Instructs Those Close to You Not to Post Anything About You
There is nothing at all, no pictures, no recent activities, and no opinions about how the trial is going. If they are in your camp, let them know any such information is detrimental to your case.
Conclusion
Apart from these tips, it is essential to consult with your legal practitioner. If you are looking for Perth Based lawyers, then you are in luck. They provide sound legal advice on limiting your social media activities so you jeopardize your injury case.
Being quiet from social media for a while is a better alternative.