Many people use online social media sites including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and others to stay connected with associates, family and friends. Many individuals update their social network site including their profile and status on a daily basis.
Online social media websites are a vast collection of personal and professional information that is available to nearly anyone with an Internet connection and a social media account. While this media provides many benefits including reconnecting a long-lost friends, as a marketing tool or to network, it also poses potential dangers during Rhode Island personal injury litigation.
Tactical litigation tool to destroy your reputation and character
There are significant pitfalls to using Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites during Providence Superior Court personal injury litigation. When you adopt a social network site as a personal outlet, it can be acquired during routine discovery. The information can be entered into evidence as an effective strategic and tactical litigation tool to destroy your reputation and character. Because of that, Rhode Island attorneys that handle personal injury litigation and RI car accident claims will often advise their client to avoid or be careful using social network sites during the entire negligence litigation process.
In addition to posting photos and updated status being especially harmful when seeking a personal injury claim for compensation, a “Liked” location or activity can provide opposing counsel guarded insight into your personal life.
Before Filing a Claim or Suit
Providence Personal injury attorneys will often discuss the dangers of using social network sites long before sending a demand letter or filing a complaint. As a part of the initial process of evaluating a claim, RI slip and fall lawyers often advise clients to enable their private settings in each social media account. Changing the setting to completely “private” can offer protection of personal information and prevent it from being seen by others. In addition, it can make it more challenging for opposing counsel to gather the information through informal discovery when taking depositions, issuing subpoenas and gathering evidence through interrogatories and document requests.
Avoid Deleting
Deleting or modifying any existing posted social media activity at any stage of personal injury litigation is off-limits. This is because as a litigant in an active personal injury case, you are obligated to preserve any relevant evidence that you know, or reasonably suspect, will be requested by the other side. Any alteration or deletion of social media information would breach your legal obligation and may be considered a crime. Avoiding any alteration or deletion of social media information early on can prevent a costly and difficult process of having it retrieved.
Tell Family and Friends
Rhode Island Personal injury attorneys and Warwick car crash lawyers will often have their client to notify family and friends of the potential dangers of posted social media. This is because Rhode Island personal injury attorneys representing the defendant in a personal injury case will often seek additional information on you by viewing profiles and data posted on the social media sites of your closest friends and family members. It is essential to warn everyone you spend time with to avoid posting photographs or public updates about you and themselves until the conclusion of your personal injury litigation.
In many incidences, lawyers and insurance company claims adjusters utilize social media network sites to build a challenging defense of a filed claim for compensation. In many incidences, they will comb through Twitter, Facebook and other sites searching for evidence that can be used against you or cast doubt on your credibility.
East Providence auto accident
Protecting your rights and legal options after filing a claim for compensation for your East Providence automobile accident claim is essential to a successful outcome. Avoiding any type of online post on your site or the side of family members and friends is crucial to minimize the potential of having the information used against you during an out-of-court settlement negotiation or when presenting the evidence at trial.