How Social Media Can Affect Your Personal Injury Claim

There are many ways in which social media can affect your personal injury claim. Let’s say you are injured in some type of unintentional injury event like a car accident, for example. You seek medical attention to have your injuries examined by a medical professional and to have them treated. This is a good move. Then, you decide to take your injury accident experience to a local personal injury attorney to see if you can file a personal injury claim to recoup the costs you incurred from your losses. This is another good move.

What is not a good move is to use your social media accounts while you are contemplating filing a claim or if you are in the process of pursuing one. And, if you have an attorney reviewing your accident and providing you with legal guidance, you can be sure one of the tips they will give you is to stay off of social media. Why? Because social media can sabotage your claim and hurt your ability to obtain maximum recovery.

In Pennsylvania, the Philadelphia personal injury attorneys at Edelstein Martin & Nelson, LLP explain more on the detriments that social media can have on personal injury claims.

Why Social Media Can Be Detrimental to a Personal Injury Claim

Once an insurance claim is filed against an insurance company for damages, an insurance adjuster will be assigned to your case, and they will start an investigation into the alleged events of the accident. They will be looking to gather as much evidence as possible to get a greater understanding of what actually happened. In doing so, they will be looking for evidence that shows the damages you say you have are either not from the accident, not as bad as you say they are, or that you were responsible for causing the accident.One of the places that adjusters will use to disprove narratives brought to them by claimants will be social media. And it is not just your own social media that they will look at. Others in your network who may post pictures or stories that include you will also be scoured. So activities that you do which are documented and fun you are having can make for strong proof that you did not sustain considerable damages and do not warrant compensation or that you only should get much lower than what you are demanding.If all you are getting is lowball offers from the adjuster, it may be challenging to come to an agreement and accept a settlement. At this point, your claim can elevate to a lawsuit that will be seen in court. A judge and jury will be assessing the information in your case, including any social media posts that cast doubt about the extent of the damages you had to endure. What this means is that a jury may determine that you do not deserve the full amount of compensation you are entitled to.

Speak with an Attorney at Edelstein Martin & Nelson, LLP Today

It is simply best to stay off of social media during the claims process. But if you must use it, connecting with an attorney to learn how to do so in a way that doesn’t harm your case is a good idea. For help with a personal injury claim in Pennsylvania, please call a Pennsylvania personal injury attorney at Edelstein Martin & Nelson, LLP at (215) 731-9900 to schedule a free consultation.