You've probably seen posts from friends on social media after a vehicle accident. It's only natural to seek out support and sympathy after something as shocking and traumatic as an accident. It's also possible to ruin your chances of being paid what you deserve. Read on to learn more.

Speak to an Attorney

If you were hurt because of the accident and the other driver was clearly at fault, speak to a personal injury attorney before you do anything else. A car accident lawyer can keep you from making serious errors that could impact your case. It's almost guaranteed that your personal injury lawyer will tell you to stay off social media sites after an accident and to never post anything about the accident there. While you may believe your posts to be innocent and not at all harmful, you might not be aware of the ways your actions can affect your money damages.

An Adversarial Relationship

Many hurt accident victims come to realize that they have entered an adversarial relationship with the other driver, their insurance company, and others. If your accident involved a business-owned vehicle, you could add that business to the list of adversaries. These entities are referred to as "the other side" for a good reason. Sadly, few of them likely have your best interests at heart. Only your close family members, friends, and your personal injury lawyer truly have your back after an accident.

Social Media Posts Are Never Totally Private

If your privacy settings are tight, then that is a very good thing. However, the other side has the option to subpoena all your postings from any site and use them against you. Unfortunately, many accident victims don't have good security settings and their posts are often public. Below, see how even the most innocent of posts can cause victims problems:

• You let everyone know that you were in an accident, but you are okay. You are probably not okay at all but want to spare everyone from worrying about you.
• You give an account of what happened but include or leave out certain details. If your post is different from other statements, you could be seen as dishonest.
• You post recent photos that depict a vacation trip, sports event, or other activities. This type of post can undermine the severity of your injuries.

To learn more about what you should and should not do if you want to be paid for your damages, speak to a personal injury lawyer.