Will the Insurance Company Search My Social Media After a Florida Car Accident – UPDATE?

We’ve written before about the use of social media in personal injury cases and how you can best try to protect yourself against overzealous insurance companies and their attorneys and adjusters.  Not only will the insurance company try to destroy your personal injury claim with your own social media, but the insurance company will also go after your friends and family as well. Here is proof of that. The below excerpt was taken directly out an insurance company’s claim file in a bad faith case:

“Our first round of social media searches several months ago did not produce any results, but we will perform a new round of searches on Plaintiff, his parents, and the friends that he listed as witnesses. We have already located the mother’s Facebook page and will continue to monitor it. Our first review does not reveal anything substantive regarding her son’s injury. Pictures of the son reveal he is social and appears to be interested in rap music. There were several pictures of him with friends at social events. We have also located the Facebook page of the friend and witness, ___________ and will monitor his page.”

As you can see, this insurance company is not only monitoring the Plaintiff’s Facebook page, but also the Facebook pages of the Plaintiff’s mother and friend. Let this serve as a warning that no one is safe when an insurance company is out to save a few dollars.

How Can I Prevent My Social Media From Destroying My Florida Personal Injury Claim?

Here is a review of some tips that you can take to protect yourself when using social media.

Don’t Post About Your Accident Or Your Pain

People will naturally talk with their friends and family differently than they would if they were to give a statement to an insurance company or a deposition in a lawsuit.  Because of this, there may naturally be some differences in what you may post on social media versus what you may tell an insurance adjuster or a lawyer in a personal injury lawsuit.

In addition, the insurance company will use what otherwise may appear to be innocuous photos of you that you have posted against you.   For example, a photo of you at the beach smiling will be used to show that you can’t be injured, even though you may be in pain while the photo was taken.

Restrict Your Privacy Settings To Friends Only

Although this is not a guarantee that the insurance company won’t be able to view your social media, it is the best step you can take to try and prevent it.  DO NOT DELETE YOUR ACCOUNT as this may be viewed as destroying evidence.

Don’t Friend Anyone You Don’t Know

Insurance companies will commonly try to sneak into your circle of friends.   Unfortunately, many people simply accept friend requests from people they don’t know, or people they think are friends with other people they do know.   This should be avoided.   If you don’t personally know the person, don’t accept the request.

Know What You Are Tagged In

It is important to know what your friends are also posting that you may be tagged in.  These posts can easily be taken out of context and used against you.

Put Your Friends And Family On Notice That Their Social Media May Be Monitored – Ask Them To Avoid Posting Photos And Information About You

As shown in the excerpt above, it’s important that your friends and family are aware of your claim, and that the insurance company will be looking for information – any information – it can find to defend and destroy your case.

Free Information

If you have questions about your Florida accident case, you can download our Free Reports:

1. What You Must Know if You Were in a Car Accident;
2. The Ultimate Guide to Florida Slip and Fall Cases; and

3. 5 Medical Mistakes That Will Destroy Your Personal Injury Case

which are available at our website, or you can click the link provided.  You can also contact us at 813-797-5998 to talk directly to a Ruskin personal injury attorney now.