Virtually everyone seems to use Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or another social media platform. While there is usually nothing inherently wrong with connecting with your followers on social media, you must be careful with what you post in the aftermath of a car accident.
If you have sustained a serious injury in a motor vehicle crash, you may be able to pursue compensation from whomever caused the collision. Your social media activity, though, may complicate matters. To avoid a legal headache, you may want to implement the following post-accident social media best practices.
Take a break
You do not want to inadvertently accept blame for the car accident. You also do not want to paint an unrealistically rosy picture of yourself after the crash. Therefore, you may want to consider taking a break from social media. Put bluntly, if you stay silent, no one can use your statements against you.
Stick to the facts
If staying off social media altogether is not an option, you must think twice about everything you post to your accounts. Short posts that address only the facts are usually harmless. Nevertheless, you should probably avoid posting anything that requires you to render an opinion about your recovery, the accident or other related matters.
Avoid attacks
You may be angry with the driver who caused the accident that caused your injuries. You may also feel some frustration with your insurance company or someone else’s. You should not, though, use social media platforms to go on the attack. Remember, upsetting others is not likely to improve your situation.
Tweak your privacy settings
An insurance adjuster, attorney or someone else may search through your online postings to try to find incriminating or otherwise useful information. Consequently, you should think about not accepting friend or follower requests until you receive a settlement or verdict. You should also tweak your privacy settings to keep your posts private.
While beefing up your social media security may keep you from complicating your situation, you must be smart with your online activity. Eventually, your car accident will be far in your past, and you can use social media normally again.
