Those hurt in a car accident have been through a traumatic experience. It's only natural for some accident victims to speak out about it on Facebook, Instagram, and other social media sites. However, personal injury lawyers warn their clients against this sort of thing. Read on and find out what can be so bad about posting on social media after an accident. 

It's Nothing Personal

Most people assume that when they post on their pages, it's private. Some are smarter and realize that they must adjust their settings to assure privacy on social media sites. However, none of that matters if you are dealing with a legal matter. A judge, if provided with enough reasons, can order the social media company to release anything posted by anybody. In connection with a car accident case, for example, the other driver's insurance lawyer would be interested in seeing what you said about the accident and the photos posted.

Reducing Compensation

After a car accident, being paid what you deserve is important. The other side, however, has just the opposite goal. The driver that caused the accident has insurance and that insurance company also employs lawyers to fight claims. At every point in the insurance process, the insurer tries to avoid paying victims. This is accomplished using several methods. The lengths the other side will go to mitigate their financial responsibility is in lockstep with the amount you are owed. If you are severely injured and are owed several hundred thousand dollars, for example, you may find yourself being investigated.

Why Social Media?

Everyone uses social media these days and the insurer realizes that victims will post about their accident and medical treatment experience. Below are a few examples of things the other side is looking for when they gain access to a victim's posts:

• You are okay. That single sentence could be perceived as a denial of any injuries. You may want to spare your loved ones and friends on social media of details about your health, but what you post could be misinterpreted to mean you are not hurt.
• Past injuries and medical conditions are red flags. The other side is not likely to gain access to your medical records, but they can often learn a lot by just viewing your social media pages. Past health issues can lead to allegations of preexisting conditions.
• You were not paying attention, you were speeding, or you were distracted at the time of the accident. Postings of this nature could cause the accident to be blamed on you even if the other driver caused it.

Having a personal injury lawyer to help you with your case means never needing to worry about things like the above. Speak to a local car accident lawyer to find out more.