Social media is ubiquitous in day-to-day life for many California residents. Although there are many positives to staying connected with loved ones and sharing content with others, there can also be pitfalls to oversharing online. This can be especially true for those who are in the midst of a legal case. Posting the wrong thing on social media during a personal injury lawsuit can weaken a case, so it is important to tread carefully during this time.
Here are some things to avoid doing on social media after an accident:
- Avoid posting altogether, as posts could be used as proof against an injury claim. In particular, avoid posting anything to do with the accident or injury and anything that could contradict claims of harm from the injury.
- Friends and family should also avoid posts that reference the plaintiff in an accident and injury case.
- Heighten privacy settings to limit outsiders from seeing any posts that are put up.
- Similarly, do not add new contacts, particularly those who are unknown.
- Do not post negative comments about the case or the defendant in the case.
Generally speaking, posting on social media will almost never help someone’s personal injury case. At best, there will be a neutral impact, provided that the plaintiff is very careful and private about any content he or she posts. The best way to avoid any pitfalls, of course, is to not post at all following an accident, especially once a personal injury case is underway. It is a good idea for people pursuing such cases to speak with a California attorney about how their behavior online and offline might support or diminish their case.