What Not to Post on Social Media After an Accident
Social media use continues to spread, with millions of Americans having at least one social account. Facebook and Instagram are the most popular, but other people maintain YouTube channels or post regularly on X.com.
Because social media is so entrenched in our lives, some accident victims reflexively post about their accident on their accounts. That is a big mistake. The insurance companies involved in an accident case can easily access your profile, and you could say or post something that undermines your case. Below, we look at 4 things to avoid posting following an accident.
The Less Said, the Better
The main risk is that injured victims will say something that sounds like an admission of fault. Or they might minimize their injuries.
- Don’t Offer a Summary of What Happened
Some people quickly log onto social media to tell people they were involved in a car crash or another accident. However, you might end up saying something you don’t mean. That is a real problem when people are shaken up after a crash or experience pain.
For example, you might inadvertently say you were tired while driving home from work. The at-fault driver’s insurer might grab onto that line and argue you are partially to blame because you were fatigued.
- Don’t Post Pictures of Yourself after the Accident
You might regularly post pictures of yourself for your family, especially on the weekends or during the holidays. We recommend not posting anything while your personal injury case is ongoing. Our fear is that the other side will take any picture out of context.
Are you smiling during a Christmas photo? You could be feeling incredible pain but putting a brave face on it. Unfortunately, the other side might seize on the photo to argue you were not feeling any pain at all.
- Avoid Providing Updates on Your Recovery
Many injuries require lengthy, grueling rehab. It’s perfectly normal to want to provide updates on your recovery. Maybe you finally learned how to walk again after a devastating spinal cord injury, so you hop online to share the good news with friends.
For many people recovery is not a linear process. Good days are followed by bad days, and what happens if you experience backsliding. Our fear is that the other side will cherry pick the posts where you claim to feel well and then argue you are not really injured.
- Do Not Let People Tag You in Photos
Some social media platforms have an annoying feature where other people can post a picture and then tag you in it. Consequently, someone searching for your name on Facebook might see a photo your sister posted with you in it.
You can ask people not to post photos of you, but ultimately you can’t control them. However, you should turn off the feature that allows people to tag you in photographs they post.
Speak with a Miami Personal Injury Lawyer
Our advice is to stay off social media until your personal injury case wraps up. That might be difficult. Some people call their social media habits an “addiction.” But the risk is too high that you might post something that could harm your chances of a fair settlement.
Call Pita Weber Del Prado today to speak with a Miami personal injury lawyer for other tips about how to improve your chances of winning a case.
Sources:
pewresearch.org/internet/2025/11/20/americans-social-media-use-2025/
leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0700-0799/0768/Sections/0768.81.html
