Wrongful Death Lawsuit Filed Against Meta Platforms, Inc. and Snap, Inc After 17-Year Old Suicide

Donna Dawley filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the makers of popular social media giants Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook after her son, Christopher Dawley, committed suicide at age 17.

The Case: Dawley v. Meta Platforms Inc.

The Court: U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Wisconsin

The Case No.: 2:22-CV-00444

Plaintiff in the Case: Dawley v. Meta Platforms Inc et al

The plaintiff in the case, Donna Dawley, filed a personal injury lawsuit against Meta Platforms, Inc. and Snap, Inc.("Defendants"), seeking monetary damages and other reliefs after her 17-year-old son's suicide. Dawley claims her son's death was caused by the Defendants' promotion of harmful content and that Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat are created to be used by minors and actively marketed to children like her son throughout the U.S. In the lawsuit. Dawley also claimed that the defendants are aware of the large number of minors under 13 years of age who use their platforms despite rules, terms, and agreements they claim they put in place to restrict use by children under age 13. Additionally, Dawley alleges that the defendants actively encourage advertisers to create ads targeting teenagers and children under 13 years of age.

Defendant in the Case: Dawley v. Meta Platforms Inc et al

The defendants in the case face allegations that they knowingly designed and marketed social media products that were intentionally and dangerously addictive to minors despite the knowledge that the use of the products is known to cause mental and physical harm to minor social media users.

The Case: Dawley v. Meta Platforms Inc et al

In 2012 CJ joined Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook. Over the next two years, CJ developed an addiction to social platforms, communicating at all hours of the night. His constant use of social media resulted in sleep deprivation, increased obsession with body image, etc. While CJ never showed outward signs of depression or mental depression, he went to his room on January 4, 2015, while his family was taking down Christmas decorations, texted his friend, posted on Facebook, and wrote a note to his family, and then shot himself (while holding his smartphone in his other hand). CJ's suicide led his parents, Chris and Donna Dawley, to sue some of the world's wealthiest, most powerful corporations. A risky, challenging, and potentially painful endeavor, the Dawleys seek to hold the companies responsible for exposing children to toxic products.

If you have questions about how to file a wrongful death lawsuit, don't hesitate to get in touch with Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik DeBlouw LLP. Experienced wrongful death attorneys are ready to assist you in various law firm offices in San Diego, San Francisco, Sacramento, Los Angeles, Riverside, and Chicago.

$85 Million Settlement Follows Arrest in California Wrongful Death Lawsuit

In recent news, a California jury found that the San Diego County sheriff's deputies used excessive force in a 2015 incident.

The Case: K.J.P., a minor, and K.P.P., a minor, individually, by, and through their mother, LOAN THI MINH NGUYEN, who also sues individually and as successor in interest to her now deceased husband, Lucky Phounsy v. County of San Diego and Richard Fischer

The Court: U.S. District Court of Southern District of California

The Case No.: 15-cv-2692-H-MDD

The Plaintiff: K.J.P. and K.P.P. by and through Loan Thi Minh Nguyen v. County of San Diego and Richard Fischer

The plaintiff in the case is the family of Lucky Phounsy, a 32-year-old Santee, California resident who died after an April 13, 2015 encounter with the San Deigo Sheriff's Department and local deputies. Lucky's family claims he died because he was tased, beaten, and hogtied during the encounter. Amid a mental crisis during his son's 2nd birthday party, Phounsy called 911 to report unknown assailants were trying to harm him. The complaint argues that the Sheriff's deputies who responded to the call were confrontational, aggressive, and profane. When the deputies attempted to handcuff Phounsy, his family claims Phounsy became frightened and confused. Court documents also indicate that a taser was used on Phounsy. The situation escalated to an altercation leaving Phounsy hogtied. Phounsy was then strapped to a gurney tightly and placed into an ambulance while still hogtied. Former Sheriff's Deputy Richard Fischer rode with Phounsy to the hospital. During the drive, Fischer put a spit-sock over Phounsy's face and pushed down on his head and torso with all his strength until Phounsy went into cardiac arrest. The application of the split-sock prevented paramedics from giving Phounsy oxygen or monitoring his condition. Phounsy went into a coma before reaching the hospital, and after being treated in the local hospital for a few days, he died. The family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Sheriff's Department. The first trial in 2021 ended with a hung jury.

The Defendant: K.J.P. and K.P.P. by and through Loan Thi Minh Nguyen v. County of San Diego and Richard Fischer

Lucky's family filed a negligence and wrongful death lawsuit against the county and sheriffs. According to court documents, the two responding deputies called for backup units "while they were being assaulted and injured by Phounsy." According to the summary, the two deputies were both injured in the altercation (one of them severely). After the incident, the Sheriff's Department cleared the deputies involved of any wrongdoing and falsely claimed that Lucky Phounsy died of a drug overdose and extreme exertion.

Details of the Case: K.J.P. and K.P.P. by and through Loan Thi Minh Nguyen v. County of San Diego and Richard Fischer

While the defendant attempted to claim Phounsy died of a drug overdose and extreme exertion, toxicology reports contradict the claims proving Phounsy had no drugs in his system. The family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Sheriff's Department, but the first trial in 2021 ended with a hung jury. For the second trial, the plaintiff's counsel simplified the case and honed on the main defendant, former Sheriff's Deputy Richard Fischer (currently serving time in prison for sexually assaulting women during his patrols), and the lack of suitable training of the other deputies involved. The second trial resulted in the jury unanimously finding that Fischer's use of excessive force and the county's failure to provide proper training to deputies caused Phounsy's death. The jury found that the deputies used excessive force against Phounsy, weren't trained properly, violated Phounsy's civil rights, and were negligent in their duties -- all leading to Phounsy's wrongful death. On March 15, 2022, the federal jury awarded $85 million to Phounsy's family. The $85 million verdict is believed to be the largest in United States history for a wrongful death civil rights trial. The San Diego County Sheriff's Department later filed two post-trial motions in San Diego federal court - they seek to overturn the verdict. The county is expected to appeal the case further if necessary.

If you have questions about how to file a wrongful death lawsuit, please contact Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik DeBlouw LLP. Experienced wrongful death attorneys are ready to assist you in various law firm offices in San Diego, San Francisco, Sacramento, Los Angeles, Riverside, and Chicago.