You have the right to file a personal injury claim against a negligent party after an accident. However, you might lose this right if the court determines that you are more than 50 percent at fault. If your fault is less than 50 percent, the compensation you receive will be reduced by the value of the fault you have been assigned.
One of the biggest mistakes that you can make is posting on social media pages about the accident. The insurer might use your posts (or that of friends, witnesses, or family members) to minimize your liability.
The insurer might use them in the following ways:
· Use your posts to identify behavioral tendencies that can suggest you contributed to the accident
· Misinterpret the posts and comments and use them to dismiss the application
· Taking the information you share publicly and using it in the court
· Using the information to contradict your testimony in court
· Using the posts to paint you in a negative light
While you can’t control what other people post online, you as a victim can restrain yourself from posting online. It is even advisable that you take a break from social media entirely during the case, however challenging this can be.
Let us look at a few tips on how you need to handle social media during this time:
Don’t Post Anything about the Accident
Posting on social media is all about looking for views and followers. This means you might end up contradicting the previous statements made at the scene of the accident. The insurance adjuster is always on the lookout for any posts that they can use to dismiss your claim.
For example, if you post on social media that your brakes have been loose for some time before the accident, your case goes down the drain.
Keep Your Profile Private
Switching your account to private mode won’t prevent the insurer from reading your posts. However, you don’t want anyone and everyone sharing your posts, which can give you some form of protection.
Don’t Post about the Injury, Treatment or Recovery Process
You might be tempted to talk about the injuries on social media. While you might have been seriously injured, you may be tempted to say you are feeling much better when in real sense, you have suffered severe injuries. The insurer might try to prove that the injuries aren’t as severe as you claim.
Don’t Accept any Friend Requests from Strangers
For the insurer to gain access to whatever you post, he can request access to your social media posts. They know that you might not accept the request if they use their real names; therefore, they will use fake profiles to get you talking. Don’t accept any friend requests from names you aren’t sure.
Don’t Delete Posts or Deactivate Your Account
After filing the insurance claim, you don’t want it to seem like you are hiding anything from the insurer. Even if you have previous posts that you feel aren’t important anymore, don’t delete them. If you feel like you need to do so, then ask‘personal injury lawyers near me’ for guidance first.
Additionally, you shouldn’t deactivate your account after the accident.
Don’t Vent Your Frustrations Online
Whether you feel like sharing or venting about the proceedings, you shouldn’t post it online. The moment the case begins, you need to keep everything confidential. The judge won’t appreciate you sharing the proceedings with the masses, so try and be as confidential as you can.
Don’t Share the Activities you are Doing
If you portray that you have been critically injured, yet you share posts about being on vacation or checking in at certain locations, the insurer might try to prove that the injuries aren’t as serious as you claim.
Get Qualified ‘Personal Injury Lawyers near me’
A lawyer advises you on what to do regarding social media practices during the case. He works tirelessly to gather evidence and maximize payout. Contact the Daytona Beach personal injury lawyer to file your complaint efficiently.
