After an accident, not only can your family and friends read your posts – but so can the other driver’s insurance company. And those guys are looking for any reason not to pay you.
Posting about your accident could cost you thousands of dollars. Yes, thousands.
Here are 5 tips I share with my clients:
#1 Don’t post details about your wreck or accident.
Any information you share could be used against you. Even a slight difference between what you post and what you say later could make you appear untrustworthy. And would a jury trust a liar?
#2 Don’t post details about your medical condition.
This includes both physical and mental health. It’s common to want to reassure your friends by saying, “Well, I am doing pretty good.” That statement could cost you real cash.
#3 Don’t post about activities.
This is a real example. A father broke his leg in an auto accident. The insurance company used a photograph of him seemingly dancing with his daughter at her wedding to argue that he was faking his injury. In fact, all he did was stand up so they could take the picture.
Do not post about parties, picnics, sports activities, concerts, or anything where you are active. Think about this: It would be hard to collect for pain and suffering when you are shown all smiles at the beach.
#4 Don’t make jokes about your case.
You may think it is clever and harmless, but a video of someone breakdancing with the caption “This is me when everyone leaves the room” can seriously damage your case.
#5 Don’t admit guilt.
I cannot emphasize this enough. In Alabama, if you are even 1% at fault, you will not collect anything.
Parents, please take a moment to discuss these points with your kids. Teenagers can get online before you can get to a lawyer. Make sure they understand that after an accident, they MUST take a social media break.
If you or a loved one is injured in a personal injury accident, you can talk to us at the law firm of Steele Ritchie for free. We genuinely want to help. We are local attorneys with decades of experience helping people, especially in the southwest Mobile area.
Give us a call at (251) 666-1212. We are proud to be called the “personal injury lawyers near me” by many people here in Mobile and Baldwin Counties.
Allen Ritchie
Alabama Personal Injury Lawyer