You wouldn’t walk into a courtroom and hand the defense your playbook. However, that’s exactly what happens when people post to social media after an accident. One wrong photo, one offhand comment, one friend tagging you in the wrong moment, and suddenly, the case you thought was solid starts to fall apart. Insurance companies love this. They are counting on you to give them ammunition. Many people do, but here’s how to avoid it.
Your Posts Can Be Used Against You
The most common self-inflicted wound in personal injury cases? Posts that make you look fine. A picture at a cookout. A quick “at the gym” check-in. A selfie with friends. None of this proves you’re not in pain, but defense attorneys will make it look that way. If you claim serious injuries but your feed shows you laughing poolside or hiking a trail, they will use that to argue your injuries are exaggerated or faked.
Even tagged posts can do damage. Your friend posts “Great to see you up and about!” and suddenly you’re answering for it in a deposition. These posts never tell the full story, but in court, nuance doesn’t always win.
Loose Comments Create Tight Trouble
Do not underestimate the power of your own words. Telling your followers, “Finally getting back to normal,” or “Back at work today,” may feel like casual updates, but defense attorneys read those as sworn statements. If your testimony later describes ongoing pain or missed work, they will use your words to call you a liar.
Posting about the accident itself is even worse. If you describe how the crash happened or share your version of events online, and any part of that later shifts, even slightly, your credibility takes a hit. The other side will comb through every detail, and if your story online does not match your story in court, they will call it fraud.
You Can’t Control What Others Post
Your privacy settings will not save you. Friends and family can still tag you, post about you, and give defense lawyers more material to work with. Courts have allowed private posts into evidence if there is a good reason to believe they’re relevant. If your public posts raise red flags, the other side will push for access to everything, and judges often grant it.
Once litigation begins, deleting posts is not an option. Doing so can be considered destruction of evidence, which brings legal consequences and may destroy your case altogether. Screenshots, archived content, and metadata can all be used, even if you try to make something disappear.
How to Protect Yourself
There is a way to handle this: stop posting. Temporarily pause all personal updates, check-ins, and photos. Let your lawyer guide you on what is safe. Ask friends and family not to tag you or post about you until the case is over.
Do not discuss the accident online, not even in vague terms. Never post about your injuries, your recovery, or your legal case. If something feels borderline, assume it will hurt you and check with your lawyer before posting. And absolutely never delete anything without first getting legal advice.
Social media is not your friend when you are in a legal fight. Every post is potential evidence and the defense is watching. If you’re pursuing a personal injury claim, The Snow Legal Group, PLLC is ready to protect what you are owed and make sure no online oversharing costs you your case. Call us at 704-358-0026. We fight smart, and we fight hard.