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3 Things You Shouldn't Do On Social Media After An Auto Accident

23 November 2016

Christopher Wilson

Being in an automobile accident can sometimes be traumatic, and you may not realize how much of an impact a car wreck can have on your life until you have a bit of distance from it. If you are in an accident, it's important to go to a doctor right away for an examination even if your injuries seem minor, and you should also consult a personal injury attorney before agreeing to anything with your insurance agency or the other party who was involved in the accident. Most people don't realize that they should also be careful with what they post to social media in the days, weeks, and months after a car accident. Here are things you should never do on social media after the wreck.

Stop! Don't Brag on How Well You Are Doing After the Wreck

In the weeks following a car accident, Insurance companies sometimes look at a person's social media accounts to see if what they are saying and posting is contradictory to the severity of injuries they are claiming. Don't brag about fast progress on social media or otherwise post about how you are feeling. Although you may be happy that you are having a pain-free day after a car accident, that may be temporary, and it may not represent how you are doing overall. If you make a post on social media with exaggerated claims about how well you are doing, that may be used against you.

Stop! Don't Tag, Accuse, or Contact the Other Party

Although it may be tempting to look up the social media accounts of other party who was involved in the car accident, don't do it. Don't contact them in any way through social media. Whatever you do, don't make posts that accuse them openly and publicly of wrongdoing. If you took pictures of them at the site of the accident, also keep those off social media. You want to even avoid accusing them in a vague way. If you need to let your friends know about the accident and who you think is at fault, keep those communications private and far away from social media. If you notice a friend inadvertently leaves a comment on a public post that is accusatory of the other party, delete it.

Stop! Don't Accept Friend Requests from People You Don't Know

There have been instances where investigators will send friend requests to people on social media to gather more information on them. Avoid accepting new friend requests from people you don't know in the time period after the accident until the claims are closed. Also, to be on the safe side, avoid make even friends-only social media posts about anything pertaining to the accident or your personal well-being and health after the wreck. When in doubt, leave it off your social media page altogether.

Finally, keep in mind that social media can be a great place to rant about politics and the terrible season finale of your favorite show. However, it is never the place to talk about extremely personal things like your health and well-being after an auto accident. Keep the personally detailed posts to a minimum after a car wreck. If in doubt, ask your personal injury attorney from a place like Putnam Lieb about what is safe to post on social media after an accident.

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