Slip and fall accidents can happen to anyone, anywhere, and at any time. Unfortunately, when they do occur, they can result in severe injuries that cause long-term physical limitations, not to mention lasting emotional damage. The good news, however, is that if you slipped and fell on someone else’s property, you may be entitled to compensation.
To give your claim the best chance of success, it’s crucial that you stay off social media until everything has been resolved. Here are some of the biggest reasons why:
1. Content Can Be Misinterpreted
If you use social media to keep friends and loved ones updated on your life while your claim is pending, there’s nothing stopping the insurance adjuster from taking your posts and misconstruing them, so they hurt your credibility.
For example, if you post photos of a vacation on Facebook, the opposing party may use them to suggest your injuries were not as severe as you had claimed. In some cases, insurance companies may even twist the truth and imply that you were engaging in activities you weren't.
2. Social Media Activity Can Threaten Your Privacy
All the most popular social media platforms are far from private, and there’s no foolproof way to contain anything once you post it online. This includes information about the accident, your injuries, and the long road to recovery you’re now facing. In posting about such things, you’re essentially inviting the world—including insurance adjusters and defense attorneys—to peek at your personal life.
3. Disputes Can Delay the Proceedings
If you do end up posting something that the insurance adjuster uses as cause to challenge your credibility, it’s going to stall the proceedings. Naturally, this will only cause more stress. If you want to resolve your claim as quickly and efficiently as possible, it’s best to do everything in your power to mitigate disputes, and this includes laying low online.
How Can I Protect Myself Online While My Claim Is Pending?
The best way to avoid jeopardizing your claim inadvertently on social media is by disabling your accounts entirely. If that’s not an option, however, you can at least reduce the chance that you’ll make yourself vulnerable in the ways mentioned above by enabling stricter privacy settings, screening all new connections instead of accepting them automatically, and scrutinizing the context of every post before hitting “Publish.” If there’s even a chance any given post could be misinterpreted, avoid putting it out there.
Call 855-585-2969 to Speak with a Slip and Fall Attorney in New York
If you slipped and fell on someone else’s property or at a business or dining establishment and you want to hold the negligent party accountable, turn to Leitner Varughese. We’ll use all the resources at our disposal to help you seek every dollar you deserve.
Call 855-585-2969 or submit our Contact Form to schedule a free initial consultation with a slip and fall lawyer in New York. We represent clients in the city, throughout Long Island, and across the rest of the state.
