With social media being as prevalent as it is today, it makes sense that many people end up flocking to social media to share the details of their car accident case. However, that could end up being one of the worst mistakes you ever make. As your Phoenix car accident lawyer will strongly tell you, spreading the details of your case all over Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram or Facebook could come back on you and ruin your chances of getting the settlement you deserve. Before running to social media and saying something about your case, such as how your recovery is coming along, how severely you were injured or anything else, you need to stop and think about what the insurance company might think if they were to read your posts.
When seeking compensation for your accident claim, you do not want to make it seem like you are lying about your injuries or anything that happened. Adjusters are always looking for some way or another to discount your damages and make it seem less serious than it is. With everything being posted on social media today, you can bet the insurance company is going to look and see what all you have to say about your case before paying you.
How Insurers Can Turn Social Media Against You
If you are someone who is always on social media, you might be inclined to head over to social media and start updating your friends and family members about what happened and letting them know that you are okay. While you might think that you are helping to alleviate any concerns your friends and family members have, you are also making the insurance company wonder just how extensive your injuries really are to begin with.
Here are a few things to think about:
- Even something from years ago could come back to hurt your case.
- Insurance companies are not always looking at all of the specifics of your posts.
- A picture from a trip you took last year when you hiked through the mountains could be used to show that you are healthy and do not need to be off work. They will say that you are fine to return to work and your fractured pelvis must not be as bad as you are making it out to be. They are not looking at dates, just what you are doing in the pictures.
- The adjuster is looking for a way to show that you are lying about your injuries and do not need the compensation you are asking for.
If any of this happens, it could end up causing you to lose out on your claim. Next thing you know you are having to appeal the claim and provide proof that all of those pictures were from years ago and not something that happened recently. You are the one stuck having to prove your injuries and fight for compensation that you deserve.
Using Social Media Safely When Injured
The best thing you can do when it comes to using social media accounts when injured is to simply refrain from using them whatsoever. This way there is nothing on your account that can be used against you. If you absolutely must post, make sure any information posted is brief and purely factual. Avoid letting your emotions step in and get the best of your situation. You do not want to go on a rant about what happened or the way the insurance company is behaving.
Here are a few tips to follow with your social media account:
- Change your security options to only friends and family members.
- Do not accept any weird requests from people you do not know. An insurance agent could be posing as someone else in an attempt to get into your personal information.
- Avoid accepting requests from someone you know to be the adjuster, even though they might seem friendly and concerned. They are often just out there to gain access to your information and use it against you.
Since the relationship you have with the adjuster should be strictly professional, there is no reason for them to get your information and start sending you requests through social media. They should only be contacting you through phone, email or communication with car accident lawyers. There is no reason to get personal and take it to social media.
The main thing to remember is that social media should not be considered a main resource to discuss all of the specifics surrounding your accident claim. You are better off keeping the details of your injuries, accident, the progress you are making and so on to yourself. No one needs to know all of the intricate details of what is going on in your life. Even after you have settled your claim, you do not want to go around bragging about the money you received. You are better off saying the least amount of information possible.
