Social Media Can Hurt Your Personal Injury Settlement

Reading this story on the Daily Report, we are struck again with how the legal industry continues to change with the times. A short summary: after a life-changing car crash, a woman's compensation in court was reduced from $237,000 to $142,000 after Twitter and Facebook posts were used to make the case that her pain and suffering wasn't as great as her lawyer claimed. In her posts, she was shown partying and mentioning that she's "starting to love [her] scar."

As a highly-regarded personal injury lawyer in Los Angeles, Cameron Yadidi Brock understands the role that social media plays in today's courts. While it's impractical to totally restrict a person's access to social media, the team here at the Law Offices of Burg & Brock are sensitive to how certain posts could be misinterpreted. We'll help keep tabs on your posts and, if one seems potentially harmful, we can mention it to you. (Although, this does bring up an interesting point. If all her posts were about suffering and being in pain, could it be used to increase a settlement? We highly doubt it.)

But we also know how to make modern technology work. Mr. Brock, as a vehicle accident lawyer, encourages his clients (and those who have just experienced an accident) to take as many pictures as possible on their cell phones. Photos from the accident, of yourself as you're healing, and anything you think is relevant can all be used to help your case. You don't need to share them online, of course, but they are good to have to properly represent your pain and suffering.

Of course there were other complicating factors in the case. The lawyer working on behalf of the plaintiff claimed that the all-white, conservative jury had a hard time understanding how a broken arm and related injuries could have a negative impact on the plaintiff's job—and future earning potential—as a hairstylist. Here at the Law Offices of Burg & Brock, we know how to properly defend our clients as personal injury attorneys in Los Angeles. While we can't guarantee success despite our track record of 97% of cases won, we can promise that we'll fight your case to the best of our abilities. Please call the Law Offices of Burg & Brock for a free consultation.