In the wake of suffering serious health complications at the hands of a negligent healthcare provider, you might be tempted to take to social media to vent your frustrations, reach out for support, and ask for guidance. However, while you may get much-needed comfort, the benefits of tapping into your online circles will probably be short-lived.

Ultimately, your posts—including comments, pictures, or “check-ins”—could all become ammunition to defend or deny your claim. The insurance company will likely monitor your social media profiles for any posts that can be used as evidence to challenge your case, claim, or credibility.

As such, it is often wise to scale back your social media presence until your claim has been concluded. If this is not possible, however, here are a few tips that could help protect your claim:

1. Ramp Up Your Privacy Settings

Taking time to tweak your privacy settings so that only approved friends or followers can see what you post could keep you safe online. While opposing parties might still be able to see some of your posts or pictures via third-party connections, the strict privacy settings can help prevent them from accessing most of your content.

It is always possible, however, that a court will order you to produce some or all of your social media content.  So, be careful what you post no matter who is able to view it on social media.  Posting about a medical malpractice claim, or any pending litigation, is rarely helpful and more often can end up creating disputes in your case.

2. Screen All New Friend Requests

Once you have updated your privacy settings, you will now have to manually approve new connection requests. If you get an invitation from someone you do not recognize, it is best to either deny or ignore these notifications until your case has been resolved. Approving such requests could give an opposing party open access to your content, handing over a potential treasure trove of evidence to the defense.

3. Skip the “Check-Ins”

While “checking in” might help keep your friends and family in the loop when it comes to your activities, this evidence trail will make it easy for opposing parties to keep track of your social activities. For instance, if you are planning to seek compensation for the loss of enjoyment of life, but your “check-ins” tend to show you attending various social gatherings, your digital footprint could be used to diminish or deny compensation for non-economic damages.

4. Remind Family and Friends of Your Pending Claim

Even if your profile is set to “private,” the insurer might still be able to keep tabs on your activities by monitoring your loved ones’ social media accounts. As such, you should ask those close to you to abstain from tagging you in any of their content, commenting on your condition or claim, or otherwise mentioning any aspect of your case. Since some sites, such as Facebook, allow you to verify new “tags” before they are publicly posted, you should make sure to select this setting for an added layer of protection.

Discuss Your Case with a Miami Medical Malpractice Attorney

If you suffered harm because of the negligent or reckless actions of a healthcare provider, turn to the legal team at Viñas & DeLuca, PLLC, for reliable guidance, around-the-clock support, and tailored representation. Our Miami medical malpractice attorneys can help you navigate the claims process, providing advice on the steps you might want to take to protect your claim and avoid unnecessary disputes. Dial (305) 372-3650 or complete our contact page HERE to request a free case evaluation today.