How Social Media Can Affect Your Personal Injury Case

Nearly every adult owns a smartphone and uses it every single day. Most of us also have at least one social media account that we use to connect with friends and share updates about what is going on in our lives. In fact, there are nearly three and a half billion social media users around the world. Social media has changed our lives, but it has also changed the way cases are tried and the way evidence is gathered.

While there are plenty of great things that social media brings to our lives, when you’re pursuing a personal injury claim, social media can affect the outcome. In today’s blog post we’ll be sharing how social media can help — and hurt — your personal injury claim. Continue reading to learn more and if you’re interested in pursuing a case, schedule a consultation with a McCue Law Office personal injury attorney in Bangor today. 

Be Careful What You Post

Remember, anything posted publicly online can be obtained by personal injury lawyers. This also includes things posted by others about you. A lot of what is posted on social media also contains location data, which reveals a lot of information about you. This can be great when you’re sharing it with your friends, but you need to be more careful when insurance companies can also access that information. 

If, for example, you are seeking compensation for injuries sustained from an accident, an Instagram post of you hiking a mountain will hurt your claim. Personal injury claims are built on demonstrating how an accident affects your day-to-day life, and if you are regularly posting pictures that contradict your claims, your case is less likely to be successful. 

Anything that you share with one of our personal injury attorneys will be kept confidential. We will always keep that confidentiality and trust, but in order for it to remain confidential, you cannot share it with others. That includes sharing information online. 

If you choose to pursue a personal injury case, it’s usually because you’re seeking compensation for medical expenses and pain and suffering. While it’s understandable that you may want to turn to social media for help during this trying time, it’s important to be careful about what is shared. Be mindful of what you post — and if you’re concerned about what you’ve already posted or would like more guidelines about how social media could affect your particular situation, contact a McCue Law Office personal injury attorney.

How Social Media Can Help

Your social media account doesn’t have to only hurt your case — it can also help! While it’s not recommended to post particulars about the accident or the case itself, your activity online can demonstrate your credibility. Your social media can show that you’re reliable, honest, and hardworking. If you are going to physical therapy following an accident, sharing updates on your progress can show that you’re doing the hard work of rehabilitation. 

After an accident, social media can help in ways outside of a potential personal injury case as well. Social media is a great way to reach out and show appreciation for people who helped you during your injury and during recovery. If you’re in need of meals or rides to appointments, social media can also help you organize people willing to help. Many of us spend a great deal of time online, and using your social channels can provide invaluable support during difficult times.

Social Media Use Following Personal Injury

Social media is part of everything we do. Even if you don’t use social media, it’s likely that someone in your life does or that others involved in your personal injury case are posting information on their own social media accounts. 

Every situation is different, but if you are considering pursuing a personal injury case, it’s best to post as little as possible on your social media accounts. Consult with a personal injury attorney here at McCue Law about your accounts and the information you’ve posted following your accident. It may be a good idea to:

• Stop all social media activity following the accident until the case has been settled
• Set your social media to private and consider suspending them
• Don’t add any new friends or followers
• Ask friends and family to not tag you in photos or comment on your page

You should also consult with your personal injury attorney about what you have posted, whether you can delete or modify past posts, and what they advise for your online activity moving forward.

McCue Law Office Personal Injury Attorney

We have more than 35 years of experience advocating for clients in Bangor and across Maine. We work with a variety of personal injury claims, including auto accidents, traffic accidents, motorcycle accidents, truck accidents, medical malpractice, and wrongful death. Learn more about what our personal injury lawyers can do for you.