Filing a Wrongful Death Claim in Response to Online Bullying
The internet has brought us together in many ways, and driven us apart in others. Online bullying is more prevalent now than ever, and there is little evidence that suggests that it will slow down anytime soon. While adults certainly harass one another, children are subjected to frequent and sometimes extreme bullying by their classmates that can lead to self-harm. If your child harmed his or herself, or committed suicide, you may be able to bring a personal injury or wrongful death claim against the responsible party. If that party happens to be another minor, the lawsuit will be directed toward that bully’s parents, as they are legally responsible for their child’s actions. This would be the same situation if their child threw a rock through someone’s window—the parents would be liable for covering the damages. To find out more about the chances of a wrongful bullying death claim succeeding in court, you need to talk to an experienced Orlando attorney.
Bullying and Suicide Rates Are on the Rise
Children imitate adults when it comes to online harassment and bullying, and, of course, in-person bullying as well. It is hard for anyone to ignore the current climate of online bullying that politicians are engaged in, and that certainly must have an effect on our children. One of the big differences between online bullying of adults versus children is that online harassment of a minor, or even young adult, has a much higher chance of leading to self-harm. Young people are much more likely to commit or attempt to commit suicide than adults. Suicide rates for young people and teenagers are at all-time high rates, according to the LA Times.
The State of Online Bullying
A Pew Research survey found that 59 percent of teenagers have experienced at least one form of the following types of online bullying:
- Name calling;
- The spreading of false rumors about them;
- Receiving explicit images they did not ask for;
- Online stalking such as a person other than their parent constantly asking where they are, who they are with, and what they are doing;
- Physical threats; and
- Having explicit images of themselves shared with others without their permission.
79 percent of teens say that politicians are only doing a “fair or poor job of addressing this problem,” while the majority also say that social media sites and teachers are not doing enough to stop the problem.
An Orlando Wrongful Death Injury is Here to Help
Winning a personal injury or wrongful death claim against your son or daughter’s bully or bullies can be challenging. While the bully does not need to have violated any state laws to be sued, you must be able to provide extensive evidence (such as texts, social media posts, pictures, video, etc.) in order to have a chance at winning. Moreover, you must be able to show a direct cause and effect between the bullying and self-harm or suicide. To discuss your options, call an experienced Orlando wrongful death attorney at the Payer Law today at 407-307-2979 for a free case evaluation.
Resource:
latimes.com/science/la-sci-suicide-rates-rising-teens-young-adults-20190618-story.html
pewresearch.org/internet/2018/09/27/a-majority-of-teens-have-experienced-some-form-of-cyberbullying/
https://www.payerlawgroup.com/emotional-and-psychological-damages/
