It’s impossible for most people to go for an hour without looking at their social media accounts. Whether it’s Facebook or Instagram, people are glued to their personal devices. It’s as if they’ve forgotten that some things should remain private. People share information that they really have no business sharing. If you get into a Las Vegas car wreck, you may be tempted to post about it online. This is the biggest mistake you can make. Lawyers have people who constantly monitor people’s social media pages. For example, as soon as you file your car accident claim, the defendant’s lawyer will watch every post and comment on your Facebook account.
Your Las Vegas car accident lawyer will tell you to stay off of social media. This doesn’t mean you can’t go back on ever. It just means you need to stay off of there for a while after your car accident. In fact, you should avoid social media until your case settles.
Here, we’ll talk about a few of the ways in which social media can destroy your car accident claim. It’s important that you follow these tips if you want to preserve your chance of recovery. You don’t want to make your lawyer’s job any harder than it already is.
The Defendant Will Twist Your Words
No matter how innocent comment or post may seem, the defendant’s lawyer will find a way to use it against you. You may post a picture of your leg in a cast following your crash. Someone comments that at least you’ll get out of work for a few months.
Once the other driver sees this, they’re going to let their attorney know. They’ll save a screen print of your post and save it to use later. They’ll say that you exaggerated your injuries in order to get the summer off with pay. Or, they may even claim that you got into the accident on purpose in order to avoid work.
While this may seem farfetched, it isn’t. These days, lawyers use social media all the time in court. An innocent picture or joke can be the reason your claim is denied.
Don’t Make Your Las Vegas Car Wreck Lawyer’s Job Harder
In order to get your damages, your lawyer has to do two things. First, they need to prove that the other driver caused your accident. Second, they need to prove that you suffered damages.
This will be very difficult to do if the jury thinks that your social media tells a different story. For example, let’s say that you post a picture of your damaged car. Friends comment that you’ve wanted to get rid of your car for years and this is your chance. You like their comment and say nothing more. This may be enough for the defendant to prove that you wanted a new car and caused the crash on purpose. Your lawyer will have to work extra hard to prove that this isn’t the case. This will cost them valuable time and money. That’s time and money that could’ve been used on an expert witness or a deposition.
Keep Some Information Private
Your Las Vegas injury lawyer is going to work hard to get you as much money as possible. They don’t want the defendant’s lawyer to know every nuance of your case. For example, let’s say that you have been in more than your fair share of car accidents. However, the defendant doesn’t know this.
If you or your friends post something about this on social media, you could lose your case. When a jury learns that a plaintiff has a history of filing accident claims, they think that maybe the defendant was the victim instead. You don’t want this to happen.
Contact an Experienced Las Vegas Car Wreck Lawyer
A lot of people think that, if they talk about their case on social media, they’ll get a lot of sympathy. And you might. The problem is, posting about your car accident online can do nothing to help your lawsuit. In fact, it has a better chance of ruining your case. Your attorney can’t do anything about what you’ve already posted on social media. You need to be smart about your online interactions. If you think your case could be in trouble, call and talk to our office right away. Let our experienced injury law firm do damage control for you.