After discussing the case with a client, a personal injury attorney in Chicago IL may provide warnings to clients. These warnings may include instructions on what to do or not to do in a personal injury case. Some of these directives may pertain to social media use. Some ways that social media may be used to the detriment of clients includes:
Reviewed for Statements
When involved in a personal injury case, the adverse party or his or her legal counsel may scour over a personal social media page for statements related to the accident. They may try to use this information to show that there was a different version of events that you claimed related to the accident than what is in the legal paperwork. Even statements such as “I’m okay, everybody” may be misconstrued as a statement that you were not injured as much as you claimed to be.
Documented Evidence
Another use of social media that can be used against a victim is photographs or other documentation of the victim. If the victim claims to have injured his or her neck in a car accident, pictures showing him or her going down skiing slopes may show that the injuries have been exaggerated. Pictures of other accidents that the victim was involved in may give rise to a question about where the injury actually stemmed from.
Talk to your personal injury attorney about recommendations regarding social media use while your case is pending.