How social media videos can affect an injury claim

A single social media video could do untold damage to your injury claim if it appears to show you moving more freely than your injury should allow. Insurers are on the lookout for any evidence they can use to undermine your claim, and social media videos are one of the first places they check. 

If you're one of the 71% of US adults who use Facebook or the 50% who use Instagram, be very careful that your social media doesn't turn into your worst nightmare.

Why Videos Carry More Weight Than Stills

A photograph captures one moment in time, and may be possible to explain away. However, a video is different, because it captures duration, a range of motion, and effort. Someone who claims limited mobility as part of a personal injury claim and is then seen dancing their heart out at a wedding has a serious credibility problem.

Defense adjusters will aggressively seek any social media evidence they can. They can build clips into timelines, and a thirty-second clip could undercut months of documented treatment.

Beware of Other People's Accounts

You may have taken the wise precaution of stopping posting on social media in the aftermath of your accident. In fact, this is what many lawyers advise their clients to do, as they understand the impact social media posts can have when submitted as car accident evidence. But your friends' posts could be harder to control.

Friends may tag you, a relative may film a whole group and upload the video, or a clip shared in a group chat can end up on a public story. Once material has been uploaded to the internet, there is no way to untag your way out of it going into evidence in your injury case. 

When Other People's Posts Can Help

Sometimes, eyewitnesses may also film an accident and upload it to social media, and this could work in your favor. They may capture:

• Road conditions
• Vehicle positions
• Behavior before and after the accident

In one case, a dash cam caught footage of a driver allegedly staging an insurance fraud by deliberately cutting off and then reversing into another vehicle. The footage went viral and formed the basis of a criminal investigation.

It's important to hire legal counsel as soon as possible after your accident. This evidence may not be around for long, and their investigative teams can track it down and potentially use it as key car accident evidence. Learn about the firm's cases to see how they handle investigations and whether they have used social media evidence to strengthen their cases.

Protecting Your Injury Claim Online

Social media posts have the potential to damage as well as support your injury claim and accident settlement. So let your friends know you won't be posting for a while, and that they shouldn't post clips of you. Also, be careful about what you write about your accident or your health, as you can be sure anything controversial will be used against you later.

For more helpful insights on how to protect yourself in life's most stressful situations, check out the rest of our articles today.

This article was prepared by an independent contributor which helps us continue delivering quality content to our audiences.