Teen Makes News with Facebook Brag – Dad Loses $80,000 Lawsuit Settlement

We weren’t joking about Facebook and claims not mixing! The recent story of a daughter’s Facebook post costing her father his $80,000 lawsuit settlement has been echoing throughout the news world, and is an important example of what not to do.

Here’s what happened

Dana Snay posted this celebratory message to Facebook after learning that her father had been awarded an $80,000 settlement in a lawsuit against his former employer:

“Mama and Papa Snay won the case against Gulliver. Gulliver is now officially paying for my vacation to Europe this summer […].”

After sharing this message with her 1,200 Facebook friends, Gulliver Preparatory School, the former employer, refused to pay for the settlement stating that the post broke the rules of the confidentiality agreement her father had signed.

Lessons from this event

One small Facebook post can have a major impact, and might end up costing the Snay family the entire $80,000 settlement.

Though we might think we would never do something as silly as post a message to 1,200 of our closet friends, this case is an excellent example of how careful we need to be online. You should never post or share information about your case. Secondly, if you have any children, make sure they are fully aware of the potential consequences of discussing your case online. Better yet, keep everything case related just between you, your lawyer, and your spouse.

Though a settlement is definitely something to be happy about, it’s one status update you don’t want to make.

To read the complete story, read the article Teen’s Facebook brag costs dad $80,000 lawsuit settlement on BBC.

If you have questions about an accident you were in, give the personal injury lawyers at Auger Hollingsworth a call at 613-233-4529 and book a free, no-obligation consultation.