Last year there were nearly four billion people across the globe who were active on social media — a ten percent increase from the previous year, and an overall increase of over 92% in just five years.
At The Gogel Law Firm, our personal injury attorneys in St. Louis understand that social media provides different connections for each user, whether they are on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.
Since social media is available on apps for nearly every phone or tablet, users spend countless hours posting about vacations, meals, kids, and even how they are feeling at that very moment.
More and more, we are witnessing the personal and professional consequences of posting to social media, as users are losing their jobs, their credibility, their marriages, and yes — their personal injury cases — based on the content of their posts.
Our experienced Missouri personal injury attorney, Jeremy A. Gogel, has a few tips on how to keep your personal injury case on track by temporarily ditching social media.
How Can Social Media Harm My St. Louis Personal Injury Claim?
If you have been injured in a vehicle collision, pedestrian crash, at work, or during a medical procedure, you are going to need a medical care and treatment plan to help ensure you are pursuing the physical and emotional recovery necessary to get your life back.
If you would like to pursue the negligent party that caused your injuries, our skilled St. Louis personal injury lawyers must prove you suffered damages from your collision or incident.
Once we begin building your case by collecting and preserving the evidence, outlining your injuries, and ensuring you are receiving the medical care you need to heal, we will design customized legal solutions for your financial recovery.
So, how can social media harm your chances of pursuing a successful personal injury claim?
If you are injured in a collision on a Monday and begin posting to social media on Tuesday — whether you are complaining about your injuries or checking in at a restaurant for lunch — the negligent party’s insurance company is going to capture each word you type.
Since insurance companies will do everything they can to undervalue or deny your insurance claim, they are going to monitor your online activity for an opening.
That means they will search for images of you enjoying a walk through your neighborhood without your crutches.
They will capitalize on any mention of your “feeling better” to build their case by saying you were not as injured as you led on.
These quick posts can dismantle everything your St. Louis personal injury attorney has built, and leave you paying for your damages out of pocket.
Pause Your Social Media Use When Filing a Personal Injury Claim
Social media does not bring any positive momentum to your personal injury claim and is best left unused during your case.
Images, text, and even emojis can be taken out of context, misinterpreted, and manipulated by the insurance company or opposing counsel to damage your chances of successfully pursuing financial recovery.
It is not worth it. During a personal injury case, it is better not to post at all.
Our personal injury attorney in St. Louis encourages all our clients to refrain from using social media while their case is ongoing, so there is no chance of their day-to-day lives being manipulated for the insurance company’s gain.
Contact Our Experienced Personal Injury Law Firm in St. Louis At The Gogel Law Firm
If you have been hurt in an accident or have lost a loved one to negligence, contact our experienced personal injury attorneys in St. Louis, Missouri today to schedule a free consultation by calling (314) 370-8173 or contact us online to have one of our skilled lawyers call you.
