Most of society is connected to the internet these days, including social media platforms where people share a lot about their lives, including the good, the bad and the ugly.
When an individual has an accident, they are usually tempted to share whatever evidence they were able to capture with their family, friends, and social networks—especially if they have photos of injuries (some people are really into gruesome photos, believe it or not) and other details.
However, if you recently experienced an accident, it is best not to say anything at all online. Unfortunately, doing so can have negative consequences, even if you do not intend it to. For example:
- It can have a negative effect on your legal case. If you share information about the accident and you have an open legal case, the other side can use the information you share against you.
- It can open the door for people to invade your privacy, which can make you feel uncomfortable in your social circles and groups of friends and family.
- It often welcomes opinions from people, whether good or bad, which can be divisive and prompt conflict that can otherwise be avoided.
The one person you should absolutely be speaking to is your attorney. Not the insurance company, not your friends, and certainly you should not be posting pictures or revealing information online. You should leave that for the attorneys and the legal case you are dealing with.
Accidents happen much more often than we expect and while it is a normal impulse to want to share our human experiences with others, it is important to know who you should talk to and who you should stay away from.