Just as a Miranda Warning states, “anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law.” The same applies to personal injury claims when you decide to take to social media after an accident. It is important that you think twice before you post on social media regarding your accident in any way, as insurance could be looming.
How Insurance Companies Use Social Media Against You
Insurance adjusters and companies are always looking out for their best interests. This means paying you as little as possible in settlement or a lawsuit if your personal injury claim goes to trial. An insurance adjuster has a goal in mind to seek all information that they can to show the big picture of your accident, even if it means painting you in a negative light so that they can pay you less than you deserve in damages.
This means that an insurance company may try to turn to your social media to gather evidence to prove that your injuries are not serious as you claim they were. Perhaps you claim that your injuries keep you from enjoying exercise but then you post pictures running in a marathon. This would help an insurance adjuster prove that your injuries are not as catastrophic as you mentioned or that they are not impacting your life in the way that you say they are. This is also why you should watch what you say online with the knowledge that it could always be used against you.
Information Insurance Companies Access on Your Social Media
Insurance adjusters know that many people use social media as a way to tell their personal story, which can benefit them when it comes to your claim. They could be looking for some of the following information:
- Where you live
- Your photos and videos
- Your marital status and friends
- Where you are employed
- Your posts and comments
Insurers can take information and try to limit how much you receive in compensation or deny your claim altogether depending on what they find. They are well within their rights to scour your social media for information, which is why you should always be careful and never overshare. Even the simplest or well-meaning comment geared toward your fault in an accident or a rant showing your frustration can cost you the outcome of your claim.
What Can You Do to Protect Yourself After an Accident?
There are some steps that you can take to protect yourself from insurers who want to mine your social media for information. These include:
- Never share information regarding your crash or the pain you are experiencing from your accident online. You may be tempted to post about the pain you feel or your frustration with insurance but this can be used to hurt your claim if the insurance company finds the information.
- Restrict your privacy settings so that only friends are capable of seeing what you post.
- Limit what you are tagged in. If there is a post about your accident or you having a fun night out on the town after your accident, it could also be used against you.
- Do not friend anybody that you don’t know, as it could be a company trying to gain access over your posts.
Contact a California Personal Injury Lawyer Today for More Information
After you have been hurt in a California accident, you should have strong representation that can protect you from the big-name insurance companies. At Maison Law, our knowledgeable and resourceful California personal injury lawyers are here to help you protect your rights following a serious accident. We will help you navigate the complexities of the legal system so that you do not have to handle a claim alone. Please do not hesitate to contact us today for more information, as well as a no-obligation case review.
