Suspect In Fatal Delray Car Accident Found Posting Videos Of Dangerous Driving To Instagram
Social media has made it fun and easy to post everyday moments online to share with our friends and family. Of course, once something is online, it is often shared with the rest of the world as well. And that can have significant legal consequences if you are ever involved in an accident.
Take this recent story from the South Florida Sun Sentinel. Police in West Delray recently arrested a teenager on six counts of vehicular homicide after he allegedly caused a fatal accident According to police, the teenager was driving at 151 miles per hour at the time of the fatal crash.
As part of the criminal investigation, police also obtained a search warrant for the teenager’s Instagram account. This revealed he had made and posted a video of himself driving over 180 miles per hour on I-95 just two weeks before the fatal accident. Police noted that the video was made in the same exact vehicle.
In addition to the criminal charges, the families of the accident victims have already filed wrongful death lawsuits against the parents of the teenager, alleging they were liable for their son’s negligent driving.
How You Should Treat Your Own Social Media Accounts Following a Car Accident
It probably need not be said that it is never a good idea to post a video of yourself engaged in reckless driving to social media. Such posts can provide valuable evidence in the event of a lawsuit. But if you are the potential plaintiff in a personal injury case, you need to be equally cautious in how you handle your own social media following an accident.
As a general rule, it is best to avoid posting anything specific about your accident or related injuries to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, et al. Such posts might be used by the defense as evidence in an attempt to prove your injuries are not as serious as you claim in your lawsuit. You should also be skeptical if you receive any unusual follow or “friend” requests following an accident, as it may be someone related to the defense trying to check up on your status.
At the same time, you should not necessarily delete your account or any postings you have made prior to the accident. That can also be looked at as proof that you are trying to hide something or possibly “destroy” evidence. Again, you simply need to exercise caution and understand that anything you say or do online may be monitored by a potential defendant or their attorneys.
Speak with a Florida Wrongful Death Attorney Today
The best thing you can do following a serious accident is to contact and work with a qualified Boca Raton personal injury lawyer who can review your situation and provide you with legal advice on how to proceed. If you, or someone in your family, has been seriously injured by a negligent driver, Contact Leifer & Ramirez today to schedule a free consultation with a member of our team.
Source:
normantranscript.com/region/florida-teen-charged-in-a-151-mph-crash-that-killed-6-deputies-say-he-recorded/article_209482d0-6acf-5343-ae61-8a24d81d9f0d.html
