In the era of social media, all you have to do is click a couple of buttons to see what your friend had for lunch or where your co-worker went for vacation. This can make it easier to share important details with loved ones who live in different parts of the world, but it can also turn into a dangerous platform for sharing what we shouldn’t.

Threats of Social Media

Some social media posts appear to be harmless but can actually result in catastrophic outcomes. Posting a vacation picture of you rock climbing on Facebook in the midst of an ongoing personal injury case, for example, can be a costly mistake. Insurance adjusters can use these photos as an opportunity to dispute your injury claims, which can ultimately lead to a lost case. The fact that you were in a world of pain for days after your rock climbing, won’t save you; the damage will be done.

People assume that as long as their profile is set to private, they are safe to post whatever they would like. However, that is not the case. Motivated individuals can likely find ways to dig through your account and see the materials you wish to hide. Even deleted comments or pictures can potentially resurface, so always think twice before clicking ‘submit.’

Social Media Hurting Your Case

Sometimes, the mistake isn’t even your own. Even if you know better than to post an update during a pending case, your friends and family may not be as cautious. Tagged photos or comments of individuals can be just as harmful to a personal injury claim; therefore, it is important to brief the people around you about the importance of social media discretion, too.

In court, lawyers have the ability to use whatever you say or do against you, including the things you say or do online. When in doubt, the safest route is to abstain from posting anything on social media until the final verdict on your case is reached.