After a car accident in Massachusetts, many people are tempted to tell their friends and family what happened on Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat or other social media websites. But the reality is the information you share online could jeopardize your ability to be fairly compensated for your car crash in Boston, Worcester, Springfield or wherever your accident took place in the Bay State.
When you share information online, your friends aren't the only ones who might be able to see your status updates, photos or other personal information. Often, insurance companies can access such information. And when they do, they look for any piece of information they might be able to use to deny your claim.
For example, if you sustained a neck injury in a rear-end accident in West Roxbury, then posted a message on Twitter or Facebook saying, "I feel fine," insurance company investigators could use that post as justification for not financially compensating you for medical bills, lost income and other expenses related to your accident.
Can I stop insurance companies from accessing my online posts after my crash?
You might think you can simply change the settings on your social media account so only your friends can see your posts. Or perhaps you use Snapchat and think the photos you post of your accident will disappear when you decide they should disappear.
Don't be so sure. Even if you think only your friends can see your Facebook or Twitter posts, insurance companies often hire sophisticated investigators who know how to find information online about accident victims. And even if you delete a post or photo online, there's no guarantee that information is truly deleted.
If you post a photo of your car accident on Snapchat, for example, someone could take a screenshot of your photo and save that image. And if that friend shares the photo with another friend, you never know where that photo could end up online.
What's the best way I can share information online about my car accident?
So, how can you let your friends know about your Massachusetts motor vehicle accident? Hard as it may seem, resist the urge to post anything about your car crash. If possible, don't post anything online while you are recovering from your accident. Simply call family and friends and tell them how you feel.
And even then, don't say too much about your accident to other people. Insurance investigators may contact people you know to try to find out information about you. That's why you should also never accept friend requests online from strangers after your crash. That "friend" could be an insurance investigator in disguise.