The adage goes, a picture is worth a thousand words. This rings true even when navigating a personal injury case, as you never know who is following your online activity.
Here are three ways that opposing council may be using your own content against you:
1. Deviation from treatment plan
Opposing council may turn to your social media to see if you are following your doctor’s physiotherapist’s or other practitioner’s advice and treatment plan. Let’s say you are supposed to avoid heavy lifting, but you pose for a photo carrying a box while helping a friend move. What may seem like an innocent tagged photo may come back to haunt you.
2. Evidence of pre-existing conditions
It may surprise you to see what you can find when scrolling back through your online presence. If you post regular life updates, many things could be misconstrued as proof of a pre-existing injury or condition that may explain your current symptoms! One small incident that you’ve alluded to, such as a sore back, could be your case’s worst enemy.
3. Undermine your credibility and/or the impact of your injuries
We are often reminded that social media is a highlight reel and doesn’t always capture the reality of day-to-day life. It is human nature to post when we are having a good day, and things are going well however these posts may paint an inaccurate picture.
If opposing council finds a collection of photos of you out on the town, playing with your children, or even just looking cheerful it could make it appear that your injuries or the various other impacts of your incident are not having a great effect on your daily life.
So, what should you do?
The answer is simple – stay off social media as much as possible!
But… we know it may not be that simple.
Check up on your privacy settings and ensure that your accounts are as secure as possible but keep this topic in the back of your mind when posting.
Furthermore, ensure that you are being honest and transparent with your lawyer. It is our job to protect you and fight for your desired outcome, and we can only prepare for what we know is coming!