The Karam Law Office - Logo white
1/13/2025

How Insurance Companies Use Social Media in Personal Injury Cases

Our social media platforms are a wealth of knowledge for our lives. You can see the photos from friends on vacation, their new workout stats, and even what they had for lunch. Today, insurance companies use that treasure trove of information to gather evidence to undermine your personal injury claim. This information can help them prove that your injuries aren’t severe and lower the settlement amount they have to payout. At Karam Law, we have dedicated our practice to helping those who have been injured and will fight to ensure that you receive the maximum compensation you deserve. 

The Impact of Social Media Posts on Your Claim 

While our social media pages have become an integral part of our lives, we usually think of them as a way to share memories with our friends, do some shopping, or follow and post our favorite types of content. However, if you are involved in a personal injury case, what you post can significantly impact the outcome of your case even if you don’t post anything related to your accident. Understanding how social media can affect your case and the necessary steps to protect your claim is crucial when it comes to protecting your legal rights. 

Photos and Videos: Depicting Activities That Contradict Injury Claims 

Social media can surprisingly impact your personal injury claim, often jeopardizing the entirety of the claim. That’s why an attorney will start to help you limit your social media presence and advise you to adjust your privacy settings. While some photos may be innocent and unrelated to your injury, an insurance company can use them to argue that your injuries aren’t as severe as you claim. 

Some examples of social media posts that can jeopardize your claim are:

If you’ve suffered a slip and fall injury and you later post your exercise stats in a story, an insurance company might argue that you exaggerated your injuries.

If you post a picture of yourself at the beach after a car accident, while this may reflect that you are attempting to find peace after your trauma, an insurance agency could twist it to suggest that you’ve fully recovered.

Taking precautions when filing a personal injury claim is the best way to ensure you don’t accidentally damage your claim. Speak to your attorney about the best practices for managing your online presence during your case.

Protecting Your Social Media Privacy During a Personal Injury Claim 

Safeguarding your social media and the privacy settings you utilize during a claim is crucial to protecting any compromising evidence or anything that can be twisted and used against you. 

Some ways to protect your social media are:

  • Lock down your privacy settings: Review the privacy settings on all your accounts and ensure that your posts are not publicly accessible. 
  • Confirm your settings have changed: Always use the “view as” option to monitor the profile content that others can view and regularly check for updates in privacy policies.
  • Watch what you post: Even with tight privacy settings, there is a risk that your content can be accessed through mutual friends or a subpoena. Your overall online persona and anything that is posted can be taken out of context to discredit you.

While privacy settings provide an initial layer of protection, they are not foolproof. If your case goes to trial, your social media will be scrutinized, and understanding what they are looking for will help you avoid common pitfalls that can harm your ability to receive your compensation.

Social Media Red Flags: How Your Posts Could Jeopardize Your Claim

After an accident, you might not immediately reach out and work with an attorney, but it is crucial to understand that even your insurance company is not on your side. It has become common after an injury or accident to post about it on social media to inform our friends and family and share the horrors of what we endured. While this is done to share that we are “alive and well,” it might be best not to share it. 

Today, insurance companies and attorneys often use social media to gather information that can be used to undermine your claim and ultimately reduce the amount of money they have to pay you in compensation. The things they find on any platform can be used to challenge the severity and even the credibility of your injuries. 

They are often looking for:

  • Posts about the accident: Any mention of the accident, and they are looking to see if any statements conflict with the official version of the event.
  • Admission of fault: Remember that a simple apology can be an admission of fault.
  • Comments about your health: Any updates that you are “alive and well” or recovering can weaken your claim.
  • Evidence of physical activity: Attending events or evidence of you engaging in physical activity could suggest your injuries aren’t as extensive or as severe as you claim.
  • Pre-existing conditions: Any evidence that your injuries might have existed before the accident can potentially limit your compensation. 

After an accident, you should refrain from posting about it. This way, you don’t accidentally weaken or jeopardize your claim. Remember that an insurance adjustor's job is to protect their bottom line, which they do by discrediting your claim so they do not have to pay out as much. With an experienced personal injury attorney by your side, they can help guide you through your social media security and protect the compensation you deserve.

Contact Karam Law Office for a Free Consultation

Karam Law understands that suffering an unexpected personal injury can put your life on hold. Winning cases against big insurance companies requires aggressive litigation, and we are ready to fight to protect the justice that you deserve. If you or a loved one has been injured, contact us today for a free consultation to discuss the value of your case. We can help you understand your legal options and guide you through every step of the process. Let us fight for your right to a fair compensation for everything you’ve suffered so you can focus on healing. Contact us today to get started.

Share This Story

Interested in this topic? Your friends might be too! Consider sharing this story to your social media channels and look like a smart, sophisticated resource of information.
Here When You Need US MOST

CONTACT US

The information on this website is for general information purposes only. Nothing on this site should be taken as advice for any individual case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing does not constitute a client relationship.
MKT6
uploadcrossmenu linkedin facebook pinterest youtube rss twitter instagram facebook-blank rss-blank linkedin-blank pinterest youtube twitter instagram