Can Social Media Affect Your Lawsuit?

October 10, 2017

Social media is taking over and not a day goes by without many people posting, checking or responding to your friends and family through it. But it could have a very negative impact on your lawsuit if it shows evidence that is contrary to your claims and could affect your total compensation.

Evidence Against Your Injuries

Every lawsuit goes through a period of discovery where evidence is collected, whether it be for or against you. Even the simplest of posts can have a detrimental effect on your case and be used as evidence against you. Attorneys, health insurance companies, and employers will scour your social media sites for information that they can present as evidence that your injuries aren’t as extensive as you claim they are.

Take for example a personal injury case where a person is claiming they have been hurt and can’t work. If they post to any one of their social media accounts a picture of them jumping on a trampoline, it certainly paints a different picture. As silly as this image might be, it does occur and the defendant you are claiming compensation from won’t hesitate to use it against you in court.

Keeping A Low Profile

During your lawsuit, it is best to have a low profile on your social media as anything you post could be used against you and affect total settlement outcome of your suit. Your attorney may advise to stay off these sites completely and avoid posting any information online that could hurt your case. You may think that the information you are posting is private when in actuality, the moment you post it on social media, it becomes public information for all to see and use as evidence in a lawsuit.

The best advice is to steer clear of social media during your lawsuit as you don’t want to affect the compensation you have coming your way.

When you have a been injured as a result of another, contact the professional and experienced attorneys at Hoyt & Hoyt. We can provide you with the legal advice you need and the expertise you can trust. Contact us today!

The articles on this blog are for informative purposes only and are no substitute for legal advice or an attorney/client relationship. If you are seeking legal advice, please contact our law firm directly.