You probably don't think twice about posting a status update, photos, or videos to your social media sites when something interesting happens to you. However, when you are filing a Wisconsin injury claim, things change. Now that your physical health is being called into question after your accident, you need to be aware of your social media use.
Types of Social Media Use
The term "social media" has come to mean a variety of Internet-based interactions. The most popular are Facebook, Instagram and Twitter but even accounts on other sites such as LinkedIn are still places where you should monitor your activity.
Basically, anywhere that you post updates on your personal conduct can be considered social media sites. While these profiles generally have privacy controls that allow you to block access to unknown users, there's never a guarantee that your information is safe.
When you begin a Wisconsin injury claim, you will discuss proper conduct with your Milwaukee injury attorney. Your attorney will caution you about who you speak with regarding your accident and injuries, as well as how much information you share. Remember, the fewer people who have details of your accident, the better your chances of preserving your claim.
Insurance Companies Are Watching
Because insurance companies see fraudulent claims on a regular basis, they are becoming more diligent in monitoring claimant activity after accidents. Social media sites are often a wealth of information for what claimants do following their accidents and they can often make insurance adjusters suspicious. If the profiles you maintain on social media sites have any suspicious activity that may make the adjuster think you are not as injured as you say you are then your claim may be in jeopardy.
Why Social Media Use Can Be Dangerous to Your Wisconsin Injury Claim
Think about your typical posts to social media sites: party pictures, location posts when you check in at your local gym, status updates about your day. These bits of personal information may seem harmless but your insurance adjuster may see things differently.
If your Wisconsin injury claim is for a condition such as back pain, yet you post pictures of a recent rock-climbing excursion that can definitely raise some red flags with the insurance adjuster. If you are supposed to be injured and your social media sites show posts that make it seem you are fine, this information can be used to justify reducing or denying your settlement.
Even if you personally are not posting information related to your accident or injury, if your friends' social media use shows any evidence that your health is better than you claim, adjusters can use that as well. Be careful of any new friend requests that you receive from unfamiliar parties-insurance adjusters have been found to connect to claimants to gain access to their profiles.
Monitoring Your Social Media Use during Your Wisconsin Injury Claim
One of the sad truths about your social media sites is that any information on them that can be considered relevant to your injury claim is open fodder for insurance adjusters. Even if you post pictures from months ago, it's not uncommon for the insurance adjusters to try to use such things as evidence of your health.
Your Milwaukee injury attorney will caution you that any evidence an insurance adjuster can gather from your consultations with them can potentially be used to decrease your settlement offer or even deny your Wisconsin injury claim. Your social media use should be limited during claim negotiation and it may even be suggested that your profiles be deactivated during this time.
For more tips on how to protect your claim, please browse our free library of resources or follow us on Facebook or Twitter.
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