If you’re injured by a negligent driver in a South Dakota motorcycle accident, taking photos of vehicles involved in the wreck, the scene, skid marks, and other evidence is a good idea to strengthen your claim for damages against the at-fault driver’s insurance company. Posting any of these photos on social media, however, is definitely not a good idea.
Although many people share everything about their lives on social media today, doing so after a bike crash can hurt your chances of getting fair compensation for your:
- Medical expenses
- Property damage
- Lost wages
- Pain and suffering
Nothing Is Private
Even though you can adjust social media privacy settings, it’s impossible to keep posts completely private. A friend could share something with a stranger, who could share it with others, and then each of these people could share it yet again.
If you’ve filed an insurance claim for damages resulting from your accident, the insurance company’s attorneys are going to dig into your social media posts, pictures, videos, and messages. They might even hire experts to analyze your metadata and use anything they can find to devalue your claim. They can also find out from social media posts if you were online before your crash, accuse you of driving distractedly, and deny you fair compensation. You can protect yourself by not doing any of the following on social media:
- Posting photos of yourself engaging in physical activity that could enable the defendant to claim you’re not really injured
- Criticizing the defendant, defendant’s lawyer, the police, or the insurance company
- Sharing any videos or photos of the accident scene or vehicles involved, which could be downloaded and altered
- Admitting any degree of fault
- Apologizing or expressing regret or remorse
- Responding to anyone else’s posts or questions about your accident/injuries
To avoid accidentally posting something harmful to your case, it’s a good idea to get completely off social media until your claim is settled. You should also ask friends and family not to mention your accident on their own social media accounts, which will also be closely monitored by the defense.
Both words and images on social media can be taken out of context and misconstrued to your disadvantage. The slightest verbal slip-up or any posted image that could be used against you will be. The insurance company’s attorneys are experts at using your own words/images to dispute your claim.
Have You Been Hurt in a South Dakota Motorcycle Crash?
Giving all your accident-related photos and info to an experienced motorcycle accident attorney and staying off social media are your first steps toward fair compensation. Contact us online, start a chat, or call us at 605-644-5003 to schedule a free consultation. You pay no attorney fees until we win your case.