Facebook Can Ruin Your Personal Injury Case

By: Heath C. Murphy + – Personal Injury

Worldwide, Facebook has more than 1.5 billion active users. Social media, in general, has become an ingrained method of instant communication among the masses. Businesses use Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Lawyer.com and Google + to name just a few. This law office uses social media to educate and communicate with clients and potential clients. Social media is a great way to communicate, but indiscriminate use of social media by the plaintiff, in a personal injury case, can be a costly mistake.

The Insurance Company Will Google You

If you are involved in an accident and are claiming an injury, you can bet the insurance company will Google your name and scour social media for reasons to deny or limit your claim. For instance, if you are involved in a car accident and are claiming back and neck injuries and you post photos of yourself playing beach volleyball in the days following the accident, the insurance company will question the severity of your injuries. Your attorney may also consider dropping your case because he/she will feel that you have misled them. In my opinion, you should refrain from posting pictures of yourself on social media. Even seemingly innocuous pictures can be twisted by the insurance company.

Tips to Avoid Social Media Pitfalls

First, Google yourself. What can anyone who Googles you find? My advice is to look at your internet presence as if you were applying for a job with a church. Remove all content that would not want the church to see. For all future social media, at least while your case is ongoing, follow these simple rules:

1. Set Your Privacy Settings to High – Do not put out posts to the general public.

2. Do Not Accept Friend Requests from People Whom You do not Know – Insurance companies have long been rumored to attempt to “friend” plaintiffs in order to gain access to their social media accounts.

3. Do Not Post Any Details About Your Accident – This means, do not post pictures of the scene, your injuries or even respond to questions about the accident.

4. Do Not Let Others Post About You – You do not want to be tagged in posts that might compromise your case. For instance, if you are at the park watching friends play softball, you do not want to be tagged there. The insurance company will try to use it against you.

5. Follow The Law Offices of Bobby Jones – Our St. Petersburg personal injury law firm publishes daily blogs that may address many aspects of your case and many of our clients will communicate their attorney via private message. For these reasons we recommend that your follow this firm’s social media accounts which include Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Lawyer.com and Google +

Contact Jones Law Group

Have you or a loved one been injured in a car accident? Contact an experienced St. Petersburg personal injury lawyer at Jones Law Group today. When you contact our office we will immediately set an appointment where you will meet your attorney and be provided with his/her personal contact information. If you do not have transportation or you cannot drive, your attorney will travel to meet you and discuss your case with you. We understand traumatic brain injuries and the issues that they can cause in your daily life and our law firm will always work to make sure you are compensated fairly.

Whether you were a pedestrian, a bicyclist, or the occupant of car, motorcycle or boat and have been injured in an accident, you should immediately call an experienced personal injury attorney in St. Petersburg at Jones Law Group at (727) 571-1333 during regular business hours or (727) 753-8657 on weekends or after regular business hours. We will evaluate your case for free and you will never pay us a dime unless we recover compensation for your injuries.

Jones Law Group
5622 Central Avenue
St. Pete, FL 33707