Social Media Can Hurt Your Case
Roughly two-thirds of all adults are now using social media according to a Pew research study. In 2006, only 11% of adults were using social media. As a result, insurance companies and defense attorneys are mining social media pages of those injured in auto accidents, personal injuries, and workers compensation injuries. They are looking for photographs, messages, postings, or comments made by the injured person or about the injured person that they could use to eliminate or reduce a person’s claim.
A person injured in a car accident, personal injury, or someone who has a workers compensation claim should be aware that all public information involving them on social media will be found and used against them; if possible. Once something is found in the public area, even something remotely related, the insurance company will ask a judge to allow them to see everything; even all photographs and information protected by privacy settings. Trail v. Lesko, No. GD-10-017249 (C.P. Alleg. Co. 2012). The Judge may require that the injury party provide the insurance company with usernames and passwords.
If you are seriously injured in a car accident, by a defective product, in a fall, by a dog bite, or in a work injury, then you should strongly consider avoiding social media entirely during your case or using the privacy settings. If you post anything, you do so at your own risk. Unfortunately, Lancaster attorneys Chad Rankin & Bill Gregory have seen insurance companies use some very sneaky ways to manipulate social media. Even the most innocent photograph or posting can be twisted into a potential problem for you and your case.
If you or a family member have been injured in a car crash or workers comp injury, then please call the Lancaster attorneys at Rankin & Gregory located at 2173 Embassy Drive, Lancaster, PA 17603, 357 Locust Street, Suite 100, Columbia, PA 17512, and 342 East Main Street, Leola PA 17540 to discuss how to make sure that social media does not hurt your case.
