Social Media and Your Personal Injury Case
We live in an amazing age. The Internet has made it possible for us to communicate with virtually anyone virtually anywhere in the world, day or night, without giving it a second thought. If it weren’t for the technology that fuels the web, attorneys such as Gary A. Zucker wouldn’t be able to reach out to, let alone help, nearly as many personal injury victims as they are. In that sense, the Internet has been a true blessing to both those harmed by the negligence of others and the lawyers who represent their best interests.
However, the Internet can also represent a double-edged sword to personal injury victims, as the unrestricted use of social media outlets can compromise and even jeopardize a legitimate claim. At the law firm of Gary A. Zucker & Associates, P.C., we are careful to advise our clients on the use of social media and other publicly accessible websites before their cases are resolved. If you believe you may have a legitimate personal injury claim, we invite you to read the following blog article on social media and how it can impact your personal injury case. Then contact our Brooklyn, NY law firm to arrange for an evaluation of your case today.
There Is No Such Thing as a “Harmless” Post, Tweet, or Update
You were seriously injured by someone else’s act of negligence. You did everything you were supposed to do; you sought out medical help, and you secured legal representation. The evidence collected on your behalf is airtight. You’ve been stressed out over mounting hospital costs, lost wages, and unpaid bills, not to mention the physical pain you’ve had to endure. One day, a couple of friends come over to visit, and you decide to crack open a nice, cold beer. For a brief moment, you feel like yourself again. You and your friends pose smiling for a camera. You post the photo to your Facebook account to show your friends and family that, yes, even though you are injured and you have been facing some difficult times, you can still smile and enjoy yourself. It’s a perfectly harmless post, right?
In the meanwhile, the defendant’s attorney has been trying to find a crack - any crack at all - that he can make in your case. He’s got his team monitoring your social media accounts, and one of his legal assistants comes in with exciting news. Look at this photo that was posted just yesterday. It’s you, smiling and drinking a beer with your buddies, looking pretty happy for a grievously injured victim. Suddenly, the clouds part for the defense. This is just the crack in the case, that little sliver of doubt that you’re as injured as you claimed, that they’ve been looking for…
Whether you could plausibly identify with any of this hypothetical scenario is irrelevant. It illustrates a realistic situation in which a seemingly harmless social media post potentially jeopardized a strong case. The surest way not to allow this to happen to you is to avoid all social media activity, not just regarding your accident, injury, or case, but altogether until your case is resolved. Even the most innocent of posts could be used against you by a desperate defense.
Arrange for an Evaluation of Your Case Today
To arrange for an evaluation of your personal injury case, please contact the law firm of Gary A. Zucker & Associates today.