By Farhan Naqvi, Personal Injury Lawyer in Las Vegas
Cell phones, personal digital assistants, and similar mobile devices have all drastically changed the lives of Las Vegas residents. We can reach more people at different times in faraway places, send and receive ever-increasing amounts of data to help us work more efficiently, and we can socialize with our friends, family members, and acquaintances in a myriad of different ways.
But these devices have the potential to damage personal injury lawsuits.
“How?” you might ask. Well, I tell my clients they should not discuss their pending personal injury lawsuits with anyone. Despite that warning, some people think that one little cell phone call to their best friend or close relative won’t do any harm.
It’s important to remember that any such phone discussions, whether on a cell phone or a landline, can have negative repercussions. If the person you call isn’t as discreet as he or she should be, the subject matter of your conversation can find its way to the wrong set of ears. And that could come back to haunt you if the defense brings it up at trial.
But what’s even worse is texting sensitive information or inappropriate comments about a case to someone else. If that happens and the defense gets wind of it, they may be able to subpoena your phone records and get a copy of the actual text entered as evidence in your court case. It’s amazing how many people don’t know that phone texts can be recorded in a database operated by the wireless carrier.
So if you are the plaintiff in a civil lawsuit, don’t use your cell phone to have a “private” (voice or text) conversation with someone about your case. Because like ships, civil cases can be sunk by loose lips.
About the Editor: Farhan R. Naqvi is a Las Vegas personal injury lawyer who has experience representing victims injured in car accidents, drunk driver crashes, truck wrecks, slip and falls, taxi cab accidents, and bicycle crashes. He also has experience handling spine injury, product liability, underinsured/uninsured driver, and wrongful death cases. If you’ve been seriously hurt in an accident in Summerlin, North Las Vegas, Clark County, Henderson, Boulder City, Green Valley, or Pahrump, give Farhan a call at 702-553-1000 for a free, no-hassle consultation.