Posted On: March 2, 2009 by Shorstein & Lasnetski

Accident Victims, Beware of What You Post on Facebook, Myspace and Similar Websites

http://www.jacksonville-lawyer.us/After you have been involved in an accident that has caused significant injuries, lost wages and medical expenses, your personal injury attorney will help guide you through the process and help you negotiate the many legal, medical and financial issues involved. However, on the opposite side of your personal injury lawyer is a defense lawyer for the insurance company whose job is to save the insurance company as much money as possible by compensating you with the least amount of money possible for your injuries. To do that, personal injury defense attorneys use a variety of tactics.

By now, most people are aware of the proliferation of social networking sites like Facebook, Myspace and others, but what do they have to do with a persona injury claim or lawsuit? If you are careful, the answer should be nothing. However, insurance company lawyers will look at the comments and pictures that you post on your Facebook or Myspace page after the accident. They may also look at dialogue you have with your friends on those websites. The purpose of this is to find anything they can use to downplay your injuries. Even a comment or picture that seems harmless can be distorted to indicate that you are not as injured as you claim or to contradict some other statement you have given.

The lives of accident victims are more accessible these days with websites such as Facebook and Myspace. As a result, it is important to let your personal injury lawyer know if there are any websites or other mechanisms present that would allow an insurance company lawyer access to your life and lifestyle. Additionally, the better practice is to avoid posting anything that can be construed as damaging, whether it is a picture, comment or conversation, on any website or public domain.