The dangers of using social media when fighting a medical malpractice case

Every person should feel confident in their doctor’s ability to treat them effectively. If you’re suffering from any type of ailment, the first thing you do is see a doctor. So what happens when your doctor makes an error that causes harm to you?

A lot of people who are victims of medical malpractice will sue the doctor or hospitals for the damages they allegedly caused. These cases are notoriously difficult to win and because we live in an age of social media, victims nowadays face much more scrutiny. With our lives on display for the internet to see, investigators are able to dig up much more information and build stronger cases against people.

Social media users who are currently fighting a medical malpractice case should keep these tips in mind:

Don’t talk about the case

If you have grievances about your case, do not talk about them on social media. Even if your profile is set to private, comments you make on other posts will be seen by people outside of your immediate network. Anything you say could be twisted around and used against you. If you need to vent to someone, call a friend or family member and talk to them personally.

Don’t slam the doctor or hospital you’re suing

This could weaken your case and potentially open you up to a defamation lawsuit. The last thing you want is to be sued by the same people you’re suing.

Depending on the comments you made, an attorney might argue that you’re only suing them because you don’t like the defendant or had a bad experience and you’re just looking for a payday.

Be cautious about posting pictures

A photograph can easily be misconstrued, especially if it appears that you’re doing something that might further harm your injury. A lawyer could argue that you’re faking it or over exaggerating your injury to make a profit.

Encourage family and friends to limit posts involving you

It’s natural to involve family and friends when posting on social media sites but you should encourage those people to limit what they include you in during your active court case. You have no control over who sees their content and how it might be interpreted by another person. Even if someone just checks you in at a restaurant, a lawyer might claim that your activeness proves your claim to be invalid as you seem well enough to go out and party.