Over the past decade, the rise of social media networks like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, and a multitude of others have transformed the way we communicate with each other and, by extension, the way we live. Social media allows us to let others know what we’re up to and also gives us a chance to stay connected with friends and family we might not see as often as we would like. Social media has has managed to seep into almost every aspect of our culture, and the law has not been immune from its effects. When you are the plaintiff in a personal injury case, every move you make on social media can affect your claim. Below, we’ll examine a few ways that social media usage can harm your personal injury claim.
It Could Create Inconsistencies
Whenever you suffer an injury, especially a severe injury, you will get involved with a wide range of professionals, including doctors, medical personnel, insurance adjusters, attorneys, members of law enforcement, and more. The reason why all of these professionals are involved is because they are trying to help you document what happened so that you can present a clear picture to the judge or jury about exactly what happened to you. If you post about your injuries on social media and your description of them does not align exactly with the officially documented version of events, a defense attorney could seize upon these inconsistencies to diminish your case.
Defense Attorneys Can Use It to Refute Your Claims
Many social media users have a tendency to exaggerate how active they are in order to make their lives seem more exciting than they really are. This may be either intentional or unintentional. For example, sometimes social media users will check themselves in at an event they did not really attend. Other times, they may post pictures from innocuous social events that could nonetheless give others the wrong impression about what they were doing. Under normal circumstances, these small exaggerations would have very minimal consequences, but for plaintiffs in a personal injury case, they could be severe. This is because defense attorneys could use these posting as evidence that you are lying about the extent of your injuries, which could seriously harm your case.
Juries Could See You as Overly Litigious
You may think that making negative social media post about the defendant in a personal injury case could strengthen your claim, but these types of posts can often backfire. This is because juries are very quick to define plaintiffs as being overly litigious or out to make a quick buck through a settlement. They could also see these types of posts as evidence that the basis for your dispute with the defendant is just sour grapes or bad blood rather than an actual injury.
Contact an Atlanta Personal Injury Attorney Today for a Free Consultation
If you have suffered an injury due to someone else’s conduct, you may be able to seek compensation. Contact the attorneys at Slappey & Sadd for a free consultation to discuss your case by calling 404.255.6677. We serve the entire state of Georgia, including the following locations: Newton County, Troup County, and Walker County.