Social Media Posts Can Jeopardize Your Personal Injury Claim

In an incredibly short time, social media has grown from a novel way to pass the time to the primary channel of communication for many people around the world. Roughly 70 percent of Americans are on at least one social media network, but what makes that number even more astounding is that less than 15 years ago, only 5 percent of Americans had an online profile somewhere, according to the latest data from the Pew Research Center.

All of us share so much of our lives on these networks – the good, the bad, and the memes – so that when something as life-changing as a car accident or slip and fall incident happens, it can be tempting to post something about it on your favorite social network. That could turn out to be a costly mistake. If you have been hurt because of someone else’s negligence, do not do anything before speaking to a Phoenix personal injury lawyer.

What Are The Most Popular Social Media Networks?

Some of the most popular social media networks available today, based on a number of users, include:

• Facebook – Facebook continues to be the gold standard for social media networks, with nearly 2 billion active monthly users. In fact, 22 percent of the world’s population is on Facebook. Only about 20 percent of Americans aren’t on the site.
• Instagram – The photo-sharing app, which Facebook bought in 2015, boasts more than 800 million active monthly users. Nearly a third of Americans are on Instagram.
• Tumblr – This site, particularly popular with bloggers, has nearly 800 million active members.
• Twitter – The president’s favorite social media outlet has about 330 million active monthly account holders.
• LinkedIn –The preferred social networking site for job hunters and recruiters is home to about 260 million regular users.
• Snapchat – The millennial’s network of choice features about 255 million active users.
• Pinterest – This social network, with a predominately female user base (81 percent), has more than 175 million active accounts.

This is only a handful of the social media networks out there. There are dozens of other networks worldwide with more popping up every day.

Nothing Is Private Anymore

Social media exists to keep us all connected. As part of that, for regular users, life is a lot less private than it used to be. That lost privacy can strike in a number of ways for someone who has been seriously injured in an accident.

For plaintiffs looking to recover economic damages, such as medical expenses, social media posts showing the victim hiking or otherwise engaged in physical activity can be a boon to a defense attorney looking to undercut injury claims.

Additionally, defense attorneys can use happy or even light-hearted social posts to debunk claims of emotional distress following an accident. Even the most casual status update could be used against a plaintiff in trial.

If you have been seriously injured in an accident, stay off Facebook and get in touch with an Arizona personal injury attorney at Burg Simpson’s Phoenix office as soon as possible. Contact our Arizona office by calling 602-777-7000 or fill out our Free Case Evaluation Form.