Should You Post Online After an Uber Crash, or Can It Damage Your Case?

A close-up of a finger pressing a blue "Share" button on a laptop keyboard, illustrating the potential risks of Uber accident social media posts on a legal claim.

Following an Uber accident, you want to share what happened and let those closest to you know that you’re safe. Ordinarily, you wouldn’t think anything of this. After all, in today’s modern society, posting our lives online is second nature. However, did you know that posting about your Uber accident online can actually damage your case?

The personal injury lawyers at Drazin and Warshaw have spent the last 70+ years representing accident victims in New Jersey. We know the tactics insurance companies take to minimize payouts, especially when it comes to multi-billion dollar organizations like Uber. That’s why one of our attorneys Justin Drazin created UberHurtMe.com, the nation’s leading Uber accident resource for those navigating the aftermath of a collision.

In this guide, we’re taking a look at the pitfalls of talking about your Uber accident online and how it could jeopardize the money you’re owed on the road to recovery.

Your Social Media Isn’t Private

Think your social media account is private? Think again. Insurance companies, especially the ones representing Uber, have deep pockets and nearly unlimited resources that enable their investigative teams to uncover posts, comments, and photos that may be taken out of context. For example, sometimes insurance investigators will create fake profiles to send you friend requests so they can see what you’re up to. Or, they will find a post you made about the accident before you switched your privacy settings.

Bottom line: Insurance companies aren’t looking for the truth; They’re looking for evidence they can use against you. Tagged photos, location tags, and even deleted info can all be recovered with the right sleuthing.

Types of Social Media Posts That Uber’s Insurance Company Can Use Against You

People who are injured typically don’t worry about what they post online because they know they’re being truthful. However, as mentioned above, insurance companies aren’t looking for the truth. They’re looking for a way to protect their bottom line and that means paying you as little money as possible.

Here are the most common types of social media posts insurance investigators look to take out of context:

Updates That Claim You’re Okay

When you post on Facebook that you were in a motor vehicle accident, one of the first questions friends and family will ask is: Are you okay?

Even with serious injuries, most people will respond, Yes, I’m okay to either alleviate their loved one’s worries or because they believed the damage could have been much worse. While this seems like an innocent reply, it gives the insurance company “proof” that your injuries are exaggerated.

Smiling in Photos

Whether they were something you posted or were tagged in, photos can be easily taken out of context. For example, let’s say you briefly stopped by your friend’s birthday party two weeks after the accident. Even though you were only there for 30 minutes and in pain the entire time, you posed for a smiling photo together to commemorate the celebration. For you and your friends, it’s an innocent memento of the day’s events. But for insurance company’s, it’s evidence that your claim for “loss of enjoyment of life” is exaggerated.

Smiling typically indicates happiness and it makes insurers wonder: How can they be happy when they claimed to have suffered such a significant loss?

Location Check-ins

Location check-ins can be another pitfall of your personal injury claim following an Uber accident. If you claim that you have limited mobility, a check-in that shows you were at a movie theater or hockey game for two hours will dismantle that claim in a flash. Even if you were in discomfort, it’s enough for Uber’s insurance company to deny your claim.

How to Handle Social Media After an Uber Accident

While your first instinct may be to share the accident update on your social media platforms, don’t. Do this instead:

Stop posting online: Following an Uber accident, the best rule of thumb is to go cold turkey and stop sharing posts online until your case is resolved. This way, there’s nothing that insurance investigators could misinterpret.
Ask your friends to not post about your accident: Warn your friends and family about the potential pitfalls of talking about your Uber accident online. Also, ask them to not tag you in any posts or photos until you give them the all clear.
Do not accept new friend requests: Whether on Facebook, Instagram, or another platform, be very wary of new friend and follower requests. Err on the side of caution and deny all new requests.
Set your profile to private: While updating your privacy settings isn’t foolproof, it’s still better than leaving it public. Make sure to update your settings to also require your approval before any tagged photos of you go public.
Do not delete old posts: If you already posted about the accident, don’t go back and delete it, as it can be considered a spoliation of evidence. Instead, leave the post up and consult your attorney about how to proceed.

Don’t Handle the Aftermath of an Uber Accident Alone

If you were injured in an Uber accident, the first thing you should do is consult a personal injury attorney to ensure that you’re doing everything by-the-book. While sharing an update online may seem innocent, everything you say and do can be taken out of context by insurance companies looking to deny your claim.

Justin Drazin and the rest of the team at Drazin and Warshaw are here to help you understand the right thing to do following an Uber accident to help protect your claim and ability to collect compensation. Don’t be denied the money you need to get better simply because you were doing the common thing of making a status update online.

If you were injured in an Uber accident in Red Bank, Hazlet, Brick, or elsewhere in New Jersey, call Drazin and Warshaw at 732-333-8141 or fill out our online contact form for a free consultation. We’re here to help.

Disclaimer: This blog is intended for informational purposes only and does not establish an attorney-client relationship. It should not be considered as legal advice. For personalized legal assistance, please consult our team directly.