After you’re involved in a collision, one of the things you might decide to do is post a status update on Facebook to let your friends and family know that you’re okay. Even if you’re still hospitalized and going through treatment, you might decide to write, “I’m all good,” or “Don’t worry about me, I’m fine.”
Don’t do that. If you post a positive update online, there is a real risk that the update could come back to haunt you later during your personal injury claim.
Don’t post updates after a crash
There are several reasons not to post updates after crashes. Here are three.
- The update could be used against you in court
The main reason not to update your Facebook after a crash is because the post could be used against you in court. If you say that you’re okay or that you’ve recovered online and the other attorney accesses this information, your personal injury claim could be minimized or even dismissed completely.
- You can’t control reposts
Another issue is that you can’t be positive that someone else won’t repost what you’ve written. Even if you lock the post so only friends or specific people can see it, they could take a screenshot and post it elsewhere. If they do that, the post will be completely out of your control and could end up leading to trouble.
- You may try to make yourself look healthier than you are
Finally, like most people, you might try to stay positive on Facebook. However, if you post an image of you walking on the beach when you’re trying to argue that you’re so badly hurt that you’re in constant pain, you’re going to end up facing scrutiny. Even though you might want others to perceive you as someone who has bounced back quickly, that same image could hurt your chance of recovering the money you need.
Stay off social media if you’ve been hurt. While you may have to wait for a while before you post again, staying offline will be better for your case overall.