Social media is a part of everyday life for many people. Posting your thoughts, little tidbits about your day and even pictures of the food you eat are all commonplace on social media platforms. This oversharing of information is quickly leading to a new level of evidence in Connecticut courtrooms.
Anything you say or post on your social media is public information. A court can easily access your social media pages and use anything you have said against you as evidence in your case. This means you have to be careful about what you share, especially if you are in the middle of a personal injury case.
Some protection
Forbes explains that there is some protection for your social media accounts. The other party in a lawsuit cannot just ask for blanket access to look around your account. There has to be a reason for the access request. So, if the other party has no regular access to your account, then it may be more difficult to get access. Do keep in mind, though, that mutual friends may tip the other person off, which would provide the reason needed to gain access.
Photos especially worrisome
Photos seem to be especially problematic for personal injury cases. If you have a photo that shows something that goes against your claim, then you could lose your case. For example, if you say that you have physical limitations due to the accident, but you have a photo on social media showing you went sky diving last week, then you will have some issues in court once the other side admits that photo as evidence.
You have to be very careful with social media. While it can be an amazing tool to stay connected to others, it also can become evidence used against you in the courtroom. There have been many cases altered due to social media evidence, so courts are very open to allowing it.
