Traumatizing and even life-threatening, a bicycle accident requires immediate medical attention. Taking precautions to safeguard your personal injury claim is extremely important during this trying time. Your online social media presence may play a big impact on the claims evaluation process used by insurance firms. This guide will teach you how to handle your online reputation after a bicycle accident so that it doesn’t hurt your insurance claim.
Modify Your Security Preferences
Adjusting your social network privacy settings is the first line of defense in a personal injury claim. Many sites automatically set profiles to “public,” so anyone, including potential insurers, may read what you’ve written. Change your privacy settings so that only people you allow can see what you’re up to online. Since friends can still share your posts, this won’t provide perfect secrecy, but it’s a good precaution to take nonetheless.
Don’t Talk About the Crash
You should not share any details about the incident on social media, no matter how private your profile is meant to be. Don’t talk about what happened, how you’re feeling, what you’ve spent money on, what insurance you have, or what you’ve been doing socially since the accident. It’s advisable to keep quiet on these issues so that insurance companies can’t use your posts against you in a credibility dispute.
The Third Rule of Photo Sharing
Personal injury claims might be damaged by the use of even unconnected images. Images of you participating in activities that suggest your injuries are not as serious as you say can hurt your case. Avoid posting photos on social media while you wait for a resolution to your claim. If you don’t want strangers to be able to see what you’re up to online, ask your friends and family to refrain from tagging you in their posts.
Get rid of “Check-ins”
Inadvertently revealing your whereabouts and activity through social media check-ins is possible. The insurance company could use this information to cast doubt on the extent of your injuries or to insinuate that you aren’t following your doctor’s orders. Avoid making any check-ins that could compromise your claim during this time.
Conclusion
When seeking compensation for injuries sustained in a bicycle accident in today’s digital era, careful management of one’s online reputation is crucial. Because of the growing reliance of insurance companies on digital information in determining claims, it is more important than ever to take precautions to safeguard your privacy and reputation when online. The likelihood of your social media activity being used against you can be greatly diminished by taking precautions like adjusting your privacy settings, not talking about the incident, not posting images, and not checking in at certain locations.
Remember, too, that even taking all of these measures may not ensure your entire anonymity; a personal injury lawyer can give you specialized advice based on your unique circumstances. Your attorney can help you negotiate with insurance companies and get the money you need to cover your medical bills and lost wages.