Do you have any clue that stuffs that you tweet or share in social networks could be used against you during a judgment? This is what attorneys who deal with insurance litigations are saying these days as long as it is the case with social networking and car accidents. You should never convey or share what happens at the place of accident through Facebook, Linkedin, Instagram, Pinterest, etc.
According to Frank Darras, an attorney in Ontario, CA, the first thing that insurance companies or claims adjusters do is checking the claimants social media accounts.
Darras and other lawyers who represent and help people filing insurance claims reveal that in recent days it has become customary for insurance adjusters and other industry professionals to seek publicly available content of their customers in order to build a comprehensive and robust case so that claims can be denied.
In some real life cases, the adjusters found outright fraud through Facebook and Twitter posts that absolutely contradict the details that claimants furnish. For instance, someone might file a hit-and-run with the insurer, but on checking the Facebook or Twitter conversation it’s found hoax.
Unfortunately, these are not the limits! They simply ransack a claimant’s social networks for clues to his/her driving habits. Do you post tons of drifting videos on your Facebook profile? Adjusters usually furnish these as proof that the claimant is a reckless driver. If you post a pic of your along with your truck in a bar parking lot, it could suggest that you are prone to drinking while driving.
While all these proof don’t necessarily prove that you have committed insurance fraud, these materials are used in courtrooms during debates, especially in personal injury cases.
If the content you share in social networks is public and there is no layer of privacy, fetching them for investigation won’t be considered as ethical breach. Check out the report published with Association of Certified Fraud Examiners last year to know more.
Fortunately, there are few ethical codes that prevent attorneys and their investigators from accessing your contents protected by privacy settings. However, independent adjusters and investigators are not bound by these ethical codes. These so called investigators or adjusters often contact with the target, befriend, and then fetch private contents for legal proceedings.
Nowadays, people are already too much concerned about keeping their online social profile safe due to increased scrutiny from the employers. And now when insurance adjusters are making it a standard operation procedure to deny claims, people have more reasons to remain delicate with the contents they share online.
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