The Negative Effects of Social Media in Brevard County Personal Injury Cases

You're More Public on the Internet Than You Think

More and more stories about hacking and information leaks have been appearing on the news. We are becoming increasingly dependent on our mobile devices and the cloud, so these concerns hit home. With so information and data online, we all have some legitimate concerns about how this data is used and how it might potentially be used against us.

Yet when it comes to social media, sometimes the culprit we have to face isn't some outside party, but rather just ourselves.

Issues That Stem from Sharing on Social Media

People can occasionally overshare on the internet. You may have a friend or loved one who posts too much on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, for example. Sometimes we're guilty of that ourselves, and oversharing can undermine a legal claim in a major way.

For example, say that you are pursuing an injury lawsuit against someone in a car accident and that the accident resulted in a serious neck injury that affects your mobility and livelihood. If a photo or video of you running or having a good time shows up on social media, it can call into question the nature of your injury. There might be some context behind that photo or image, of course, yet the visuals themselves have a way of potentially calling your case into question.

This is just one example, but it's a great illustration of why it's so important to manage your social media responsibly.

How Others Can Use Your Social Media Presence Against You

In addition to worries about what you post, there are also concerns about how others can use your social media to get information about your. They may look at conversations on your Facebook wall with loved ones, for instance, or they may check your LinkedIn account for job history information. Using this information, there may be attempts made to reach out to co-workers, employers, or associates to delve into matter pertinent to your case.

How You Can Have a More Responsible Social Media Presence

Given the ways that social media can be used against you in unforeseen ways, here are a few tips on how you can have a more responsible social media presence during litigation:

• Do Not Post as Often – Sometimes limiting your social media posting is the best policy. Any time you hesitate to post something or wonder "Should I post this?", chances are you shouldn't. Play it safe.
• Set Your Pages to Private If Possible – Check out the privacy settings on your social media sites and do your best to restrict access to them. Ideally you'll want to ensure that only loved ones and people in your network can see your profiles.
• Have Loved Ones Check with You Before Posting About You – Be sure to reach out to loved ones and have them check with you before they post anything that may be related to you. This is a good way of managing what information is out there.

In addition to the above, taking a break from social media in general is not a bad idea at all.

Consult with Your Attorney About Any Pressing Matters

If you should have any other questions about social media and your privacy on the internet, be sure to speak with your attorney. They will have great insight into these matters and what can be done.

For more information about managing your social media during a legal case and other matters that can affect the results of a legal claim, be sure to contact our team of personal injury lawyers today by calling 321-308-8020. The team at Charpentier Law Firm are here to help you.