There are few situations in life that demand more support and encouragement than when you are grieving the death of a loved one. Losing a family member is never easy, and it’s natural to turn to those closest to you during such a trying time. This includes the connections you’ve fostered on social media over the years.
If you think the deceased’s passing could have been prevented, however, and your family intends to take legal action, it’s best to stay off social media until the claim has been resolved. While the liable party’s insurer may be sympathetic, their first priority is to protect their bottom line, and that means finding cause to challenge your credibility. In an effort to do so, they’ll likely monitor the deceased’s closest loved ones online.
If you cannot deactivate your social media profiles until your wrongful death claim has reached a conclusion, make sure to take the following steps, so you can preserve the integrity of your case:
Go into the settings on each of your accounts and toggle the privacy so only those whom you approve can see what you post. While it may still be possible to access certain content through third-party connections, this will make it considerably harder for the claims adjuster to monitor your online activity.
Even something as innocuous as sharing a news article about the accident in which your loved one died could end up hurting your claim. If you appear to endorse anything that turns out to be inaccurate, the insurer will have reason to challenge your assertions.
Once your profiles are no longer public, you’re going to have to approve all new friends and followers manually. When doing so, consider each request carefully before hitting “Accept.” Do not grant access to anyone whom you don’t recognize. They may work for the claims adjuster and may simply be trying to bypass your privacy settings.
The insurance carrier and/or defense lawyer may try to suggest that because you are not struggling financially in the wake of the loss you are not entitled to a significant recovery. Because big items or costly excursions could be interpreted in such a way that your family is doing just fine—even if they were financed or gifted—it’s best to avoid posting about them on social media until the claim has been resolved.
If you lost a loved one to someone else’s negligence, turn to Hodge & Langley Law Firm for compassionate representation. Our team has more than 50 years of experience in the legal field.
When you turn to us for counsel, you’ll get the full force of the firm backing your every move. To schedule your free case review with a wrongful death attorney in South Carolina, complete our Contact Form or call 864-585-3873.
Submission of information in this contact form does not establish an attorney-client relationship. In order to establish such a relationship with our firm we require a direct meeting with the attorney.
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