How Social Media Can Help or Hinder Your Truck Accident Case

Social media has become an integral part of our everyday lives. It’s how we keep in touch with friends and family, learn about what’s going on in the community, and often stay entertained. For many people, social media has become a digital support system, so it’s understandable to want to jump on your favorite platform and update everyone on major events. However, if you’ve been involved in a truck accident, how you use social media could have a significant impact on the outcome of your case. 

Why Privacy is Important After a Truck Accident

After a truck accident, the last thing you want to do is publicize what happened. The details of your crash and your legal strategy should remain between you and your car accident lawyer. Why? When you share too much information online, the opposing lawyers or insurance companies can view this information, and it could weaken your claim. 

Every seemingly innocent comment, post, or check-in could be viewed by people who you didn’t intend to communicate with and be taken out of context. The last thing you want is for one of your social media posts to possibly suggest that you aren’t injured or may have been partially responsible for the truck accident. 

How Social Media Use Could Help or Hurt Your Truck Accident Case

In some cases, social media might help your truck accident case. But this is only when the platforms are used to gather additional evidence that could strengthen your case. For example, people that you don’t know might have posted images or videos of the accident, which you and your attorney could obtain to strengthen your case. 

If there were no witnesses to the accident, it may be useful to reach out on social media to ask if anyone witnessed the crash. The reach of some community groups on Facebook may help locate valuable witnesses. 

Social media can also be helpful when the other party posts incriminating information. Your attorney will look for this information and use it to strengthen your case. 

On the other hand, many social media posts are taken out of context and could undermine your case. A post you make following the accident that you consider harmless could be easily misinterpreted and used against you. 

Let’s say you are claiming compensation for back and neck injuries following a truck accident. If you post images or videos of yourself at a local park with your children weeks after the accident, the insurance company could argue that you’re not as injured as you claim. If successful, your claim could be denied or your compensation reduced. 

General Tips for Using Social Media After a Truck Accident

When it comes to your social media use after a truck accident, there’s a good chance anything you post could be used against you. It’s become a common practice for insurance companies and attorneys to search these platforms for incriminating information. If you want to protect your case and get the best possible outcome, here are some general tips for using social media:

Take a Break From Your Social Media

Your best course of action is to take a break from it entirely. If you’re not posting anything or commenting on others’ posts, you won’t have much to worry about. 

Privatize Your Social Media Account

If you can’t stay away from social media during your case, make your profiles private. This way, only friends and family can see them. However, be cautious about what you post. Anything shared, even on a “private” profile, could be discoverable in a legal case.

Avoid Deleting Past Posts

You may be tempted to clean up your social media profiles after an accident. It’s generally not a good idea to delete content as it makes it look like you’re trying to hide something. Discuss this issue with your attorney before taking action. 

Disallow Post Tags

When friends or family “tag” you in a post or photo, this shows up on your timeline. Unfortunately, even posts by other people can be used against you. You can go into your settings and disallow tagging. 

Why It’s Essential to Work with a Mississippi Car Accident Attorney

If you’ve been injured in a crash with a commercial truck, you need knowledgeable and experienced legal counsel. Unlike conventional car accidents, commercial truck accidents involve businesses with deep pockets. They also have complex rules that could impact your case outcome.

A seasoned car accident attorney will understand the various state and federal laws and how to hold the right parties accountable for your damages. To learn more about your rights and options, contact Mississippi Car Accident Attorney directly.