Social media is a wonderful way to connect with your friends and family. But it can also get you into trouble when it comes to personal injury claims. At DeVault Law, L.C., we know what insurance companies are looking for when they’re trying to deny claims. Below, we discuss some ways you can avoid making mistakes that can hurt your case.
The Insurance Company Will Check Your Social Media Accounts
When you submit a personal injury claim, you’re more than likely going to go through an insurance company. These companies, like any other business, are typically only after one thing – to save as much of their money as possible.
Insurance companies will do everything in their power to pay you as little as possible when you submit your claim. They will look for any evidence they can use against you. That includes checking your social media accounts. They will scour your Facebook feed, inspect your Tweets, and search through your Instagram posts for anything they can use to dispute your claims.
How Can They Get Away With This?
Simple. Anything you post to social media is considered public. Even if you tweak your privacy settings, insurance companies can utilize your friends and families social media accounts to gain information against you. They can even go as far as obtaining a court order if they suspect your claims are false. No matter how private you believe your social media accounts to be, there are always ways around those privacy settings.
So, how can you keep your social media accounts safe while your personal injury claim is pending?
Use Common Sense
The best way to keep yourself safe when you submit a personal injury claim would be to simply stay off social media. Log out from your accounts and stay as far away as possible.
However, if you have to use your social media accounts, there are a few things you can do to stay safe. Above all, simply utilize common sense before you post to your accounts. Do not post anything that could be considered incriminating. Ask yourself the following question before you make a post: Can this post be used against me to dispute my claims?
Things Not to Post
Here are just a few examples of things not to post:
- conversations you have with your attorney
- information about your injury
- anything that involves your personal injury claim
- information relevant to how you were injured
Be Wary of Your Friends and Family Tagging You in Their Posts
Because social media can involve more than just words, you should also be wary of any photos you post or are tagged in. If, for example, you submit a claim about a hurt back, and you are tagged in a photo lifting some heavy object, your insurance company will use that against you. The same goes for any videos you may be tagged in. If your friends tag you in a photo or video that could be incriminating, remove yourself from the tag or ask the person to take it down.
Don’t Add People You Don’t Know
Another preventative measure you should take is to be wary of adding any new social media friends or followers you don’t know while your claim is pending. Add only close friends and family members that know about your current situation during that time. Even if that new friend you added isn’t a member of your insurance company posing undercover, they may not be fully aware of your situation and unknowingly post something incriminating against you.
Still worried about your pending claim? Don’t be. You don’t have to live in fear of your insurance company.
Contact a Personal Injury Attorney at DeVault Law Firm, P.C.
Here at Devault Law, L.C., we deal with all types of personal injury claims, and we will help guide your social media usage while we submit those claims for you. Call us today to speak to an experienced personal injury attorney about your case.
