Social Media a two edged sword

Advice on Social Media Use

Almost everyone uses social media in some form. It’s a familiar and mostly trusted form of communication, information gathering and support.

Using social media can, however, be unsettling, upsetting and risky, so caution is always needed.

So how can you gain the support you need if you are involved in a birth injury litigation case?

Firstly, there are a few online support groups specifically dealing with birth injury cases. Facebook has several private groups which you can search for. However, always be wary of being asked to pay for a service you may be able to get for free elsewhere.

There are other support groups dealing with the injury itself, but very few specifically about litigation.

Even ‘private’ Facebook groups and other platforms are not a guarantee of privacy. Therefore, I would strongly advise anyone asking questions on any social-media platform to be very careful about posting information which may affect their case.

Do not post or share your legal or medical reports online. These documents may contain sensitive information and may form an important part of your legal team’s evidence. Confidentiality is essential. If you are unsure whether something can safely be shared, ask your solicitor first.

Most Facebook forums allow for anonymous posting of questions, so I would opt for that where possible. Remember, however, that anonymous posting is not a guarantee of anonymity.

Posting on your personal page is something you need to be aware of too. If you post a lovely photo of your child holding a tennis racket (despite the fact the child couldn’t hit the ball to save their life!), it could potentially be used to raise questions about an aspect of your child’s disability or abilities if that is relevant to the claim.  A photograph rarely tells the whole story, but once something is online you have very little control over how it may be interpreted or used.

Mentioning the litigation itself on your personal page is also something I would avoid. Don’t assume that because your social-media account is private, nothing you post can be seen outside your immediate circle.

Sadly, information posted on social media may be found and considered by the legal teams involved in a case.  Anything you post may potentially become relevant to the case.

So, in short… social media, wonderful for support and information, terrible for privacy.

If in doubt, don’t post it.  Ask your solicitor instead.