How Social Media Can Impact Your Texas Car Accident Claim | Carabin Shaw Attorneys

After a serious car accident in Texas, victims often turn to friends and family for support. For many of us, communication happens through social media channels. While Facebook or Instagram offer connection to loved ones, posts can jeopardize your personal injury claim.

The Texas car accident lawyers at Carabin Shaw have seen insurance companies use social media posts to reduce or deny personal injury claims. One way we protect our clients’ rights is by helping them understand the potentially dangerous link between social media and car accident claims. We also offer the support and guidance they need to successfully pursue compensation for their injuries.

If you’ve been injured, our compassionate team is available 24/7 to provide free case reviews in English or Spanish. We also offer our services on a contingency-fee basis, so you pay nothing unless we win your case. Call us toll-free now at 1-800-862-1260 or contact us online.

Personal injury claims rely heavily on evidence, whether you are the victim or lawyer pursuing damages or the insurance company looking for reasons to challenge your claim. Insurance companies immediately begin searching for the evidence that reduces or eliminates the value of your claim.

One of the sources they use most today is social media. Scouring your posts, comments, and tags, they search for any bit of information they can use to dispute your claims of injury or suggest you contributed to the accident. Insurance investigators will monitor any of these platforms:

• Facebook
• Instagram
• Tik Tok
• LinkedIn
• X (formerly Twitter)
• YouTube

Insurance investigators will look for indications of contradictions of your sworn statements regarding your personal injury claim. For example, a photo of you out with friends a week after your accident could be used to suggest your injuries aren’t as severe or your pain and suffering isn’t real.

Investigators might also search for evidence that you contributed to your accident. If they find a photo of you at a party before the accident, they might use it to suggest alcohol use played a role in the crash. Under Texas’s proportionate responsibility rule, they can reduce your damages by your portion of fault for the accident, or deny your claim if you were more than 50% at fault.

Fortunately, you can take steps to protect yourself and your personal injury claim:

• Avoid posting anything about the accident or your injuries
• Limit your visibility and activity on social media
• Ask family and friends to avoid tagging you or posting about you
• Adjust your privacy settings to friends-only visibility

You don’t have to go completely dark on social media; you can still post neutral content like news shares or photos of your pets. Avoid posting accident details, injury updates, or physical activities. If you are unsure, avoid posting at all or check with your attorney before creating your post.

While our lawyers recommend changing your privacy settings on social media platforms, don’t assume that makes your accounts completely safe from scrutiny. Friends often share posts, making them public. Screenshots of your post may also circulate. Under Texas law, investigators can also request disclosure of posts they believe may be relevant to your claim.

Deleting posts can also be dangerous. If you delete posts, photos, or messages regarding your accident, it could lead to allegations of evidence destruction. In some situations, courts can take action against parties who intentionally destroy evidence. If you are concerned about a post, talk to your Texas personal injury attorney before taking any action.

It is a natural reaction to want to share the details of your crash with those closest to you. However, sharing on public social media platforms can cause more harm than help.

Instead, let our attorneys at Carabin Shaw protect your right to compensation and guide you through the personal injury claims process. Check out our law firm’s client reviews to see how we’ve helped other accident victims. Then, call us at 1-800-862-1260 or contact us online today.

For more information:

• Texas Statutes 33
• Texas Rules of Evidence