If you were injured in a truck accident caused by a negligent truck driver, you may need to file a claim for compensation with the insurance company for the trucking company and the trucker. The last thing you want to do is take actions that hurt your case. However, this is exactly what you may do if you do not stay off social media sites or are not careful what you post while your claim is being settled.
How Your Social Media Posts Could Be Used by the Insurance Company
Even if you have strong evidence that shows the trucker caused your crash and that your injuries are serious, the insurance company could try to deny your claim or fight to pay you less money than you deserve in your settlement. One way they could try to do this is to search your social media sites, such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, for ammunition they can use to fight your claim. They may visit your social media sites multiple times while they are 
investigating your claim and are in settlement negotiations.
Ideally, you should stay off social media sites entirely while your claim is pending. If you do not want to do this, you need to understand how the insurance company could use your posts against you. Here are four ways your posts could weaken your case:
- Statements you make. While posting on social media is a convenient way to keep family and friends updated on your life, avoid making statements about the truck crash or your injuries in your posts. The insurance company could construe innocent statements you make, such as “I’m sorry” or “I didn’t see the truck before it struck me,” as an admission of your fault in causing the collision. Statements about your injuries could be also be misinterpreted to show that you weren’t as hurt as you really are.
- Photos. You also want to avoid posting photos while your claim is pending. Innocent photographs, such as you celebrating a family member’s birthday at a bowling alley or swimming pool, could be used by the insurance adjuster to show that you are engaging in activities you should not be able to do given your injuries.
- Tagging. Instruct your friends and family not to post statements about you or tag you in photos. The insurance company could search their social media sites as well as yours for damaging information they can use against you.
- Friend requests. Be careful about whose friend requests you accept. You should not accept any requests from people you do not know. Someone from the insurance company could be friending you to obtain better access to your social media sites.
Schedule a Consultation With a Norfolk Truck Accident Lawyer Today
If you were injured in a truck crash in the Virginia Beach or Norfolk area, our experienced truck accident attorneys are here to help. We can protect your rights, help you avoid mistakes that hurt your case, and fight with the insurance company so that you receive the full recovery you are entitled to in your settlement. To get started, call our Norfolk office to schedule your free consultation today.
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