Privacy is a much bigger issue for personal injury claims than ever before. This is because, today, we share so much of our lives online, where our personal information is freely accessible to anyone looking for it.
But, what you share online can have a huge effect on your personal injury claim. Insurance companies have become notorious for scouring social media accounts to find information that can be used to limit or deny claims. What’s more, information that you personally provide to the insurance company, in good faith, can be used against you to limit your claim.
This is why it is important to be discrete and very careful about what you share regarding your personal life, your injuries, and the accident that caused you to be injured, both online and in-person, for the duration of your personal injury case.
When Communicating With an Insurance Company
While you may feel obligated to provide an insurance company with certain information regarding your accident and injuries, you should never do so without an experienced personal attorney there to protect your rights. In fact, it is best to let your attorney handle all of the communications between you and the insurance company.
Insurance adjusters are known to coerce claimants into saying things and providing information that will later be used to limit or deny their claims. An experienced personal injury attorney can advise on what information you should and shouldn’t provide to the insurance adjuster.
Some information must be shared, such as police reports, medical records that have a bearing on your personal injury case, and financial records that demonstrate lost wages, income, and earning capacity.
However, you have the right to deny or restrict the adjuster’s access to other information that he or she might request. This includes certain unrelated medical records that the insurance company might use to attempt to limit or deny your claim based on a preexisting injury or condition.
Social Media During a Personal Injury Case
It is best to deactivate all of your social media accounts for the duration of your personal injury claim. At the very least, you should severely restrict who can see your posts.
Insurance adjusters and private investigators routinely searching social media posts for evidence of fraud or misrepresentation. If you claim that an accident left you with an injured back, but you are posting photos and/or videos where you are engaged in sport or heavy lifting, your insurance claim will be called into question.
Similarly, if prior to the accident for which you are seeking compensation, you shared information about a previous back injury, the insurance company may argue that you are seeking compensation for a pre-existing condition and deny your claim. The best way to avoid this is by limiting both access to your social media accounts and what you post on those accounts.
What’s more, make sure to ask your friends and family not to tag you in their social media posts, for the duration of your personal injury claim. Photos and videos of you participating in certain activities, even if you were only a spectator, can jeopardize your chances of recovering compensation for your injuries. Let the people in your life know about your need for privacy and discretion during your personal injury case.
Consult With An Experienced New Jersey Personal Injury Attorney
A lack of privacy and discretion can ruin your personal injury claim. But an experienced personal injury attorney can protect your right to privacy and make sure that you don’t disclose any information that can be damaging to your case.
If you have been injured in an accident in New Jersey, call us for a free consultation with an experienced New Jersey personal injury lawyer. The sooner you get us involved, the more we can help.