Facebook was designed as a way to keep college friends connected. It later grew and became a means to keep in contact with family and friends, near or far.
As the social media giant and others like it has grown, it has also become an important tool in injury litigation.
People share a lot of personal information. Chances are if they were in a car accident or slip and fall, they’ll share what happened on social media. Some will even include photos taken at the scene.
Using Facebook and personal injury research together is how to win your case. Sometimes the information you need is right in front of you — all you have to do is look.
Are you in the middle of a personal injury lawsuit? Keep reading to learn how you can get information from your lawsuit via social media posts.
Get as Much Information About the Other Party as Possible
Before you can begin a social media inquiry, you’ll first need to get basic information about the other person. This includes their full name, age, city, and other identifiers.
Facebook alone has 2.60 billion monthly active users so there are sure to be numerous people with the same name. Some are likely in the same geographical location as the accident.
Having more information will help you zero in on the right account for the person you’re searching for.
Don’t Limit Your Search to Popular Platforms Like Facebook
Facebook is one, if not the most, popular social media sites that people use to connect with family and friends. But don’t limit your search to just Facebook.
Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest are popular photo-sharing sites and someone could post photos and videos taken after the incident. Someone with a YouTube account could post longer versions of video footage along with an extensive account of what took place.
Your social media and an injury litigation search can reveal some gems. Document the information with screenshots and capture URL links. If you’re tech-savvy, use the URL to download a copy of the video for your attorney.
Search Social Media Accounts of Family, Friends, and Colleagues
The social media search can and should extend to the people that are also connected with the person you are litigating against. Once you find their accounts, see who they follow and try to determine the relationship.
This comes in handy if the litigant has a private page or only shares some information publicly. Their friends and family may have their accounts public and are actively discussing the event with their followers.
Last, do not engage in any way with the other party or their connections. Your goal is to be a silent observer.
How to Win: This Is Just the Beginning
Knowing how to win at injury litigation requires a strategic plan. Social media is one aspect that has proven to be instrumental. Most law firms have investigators on their team that can get to the information faster than the average person.
Plus, they know what they are looking for and how to preserve the information.
If you’re considering taking someone to court there’s a lot you need to know. We have a wealth of information on our website, so keep browsing for more great advice.