Every car accident case begins with an investigation. This investigation is intended to determine the facts of the accident, understand what happened, and gather evidence to prove the full scope of liability. As attorneys such as our friends at Blaszkow Legal, PLLC know, these investigations cast a wide net, looking into the accident itself, treatment for injuries, and even social media usage.
Understanding The Investigation
If you were in an accident, your attorney will investigate your case to gather evidence that may counter any claims made by the insurance company that place blame on you. Remember that insurance companies are not in the business of paying your claim. They are not in the business of giving you what you ask for. The job of insurance adjusters and defense lawyers is to pay you as little money as possible, or none at all. The more evidence that they can gather, the better they can do their job period from their perspective, they are very happy for you to do the work for them.
Using Social Media As Evidence
A plaintiff has the unfortunate ability to create evidence against himself or herself. This is often done unintentionally, and inadvertently, but it does happen. This is why it is so important to beware of the dangers of social media.
Defense lawyers and insurance adjusters all have Google proficiency, and every one of them has a Facebook account, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, and more. They are always reviewing the accounts of people who file claims. Anything that you post can be used against you. Posts that seem to mitigate the seriousness of your injuries, contradict your account of the case, or otherwise cast doubt on your claim can be used against you.
For example, if you claim that you have been seriously hurt, and you are going to physical therapy because you’re having trouble bending and lifting and reaching things, but then you are posting videos of you at the gym lifting heavy weights, you have created an argument and indeed evidence against yourself. They can argue that you are not being credible in your comments to the doctors, and thus not credible as to the facts of the loss.
Smart Commenting On Social Media
Another item that can be used against individuals are their comments. For example, if you make a comment about some post saying that you know what someone is going through because you’ve been in a few car accidents before, but then in speaking with the insurance company you told them you’ve only had one car accident, you have created an argument that they can use to impeach your credibility.
Staying Smart After An Accident
You never want to create ambiguities, or things that the defense industry can use against your claim. If you’re not sure what you should post, call your attorney. An experienced Lyft accident lawyer is going to be able to give you the guidance that you need to protect yourself from the defense industry, and to shield yourself from their attempts to use your own words against you.