After a car wreck laid you low, you filed a claim for damages. You hoped the at-fault party’s insurance company would be quick to settle your valid claim so that you could move on with your life.
But that hasn’t happened, and you are getting frustrated with the process. You might even get onto social media and rant about the length of time you’ve waited to settle your claim. Below are some reasons why that’s a bad idea.
Your posts can be used against you
As a general rule, making social media posts while a personal injury case is pending is potentially very damaging to your claim for damages. You might not realize how your words and images can be twisted and used against you, but the defendant’s attorney certainly will.
If you claim that you can no longer lift up your grandchildren or carry your groceries, but your timeline shows you still engaging in physical activities, that calls your credibility into question. Never mind that the shot of you at a concert or other event may have cost you dearly in energy expended and resulting pain. All the opposing attorney will say is that you are capable of doing far more than you allege.
You could reduce your eventual settlement amount
Personal injury cases move according to their own timelines and your posts expressing frustration with the process could cause the defendant’s insurer to issue you a low-ball offer in the hopes that you will cut and run with it.
Deciding to settle for less than the full value of your California personal injury case can leave you without the funds you need to be made whole after the accident that left you with injuries, damages and other losses.