With the rising popularity of the social media app, Snapchat, comes the potential for a wave of lawsuits implicating the photo and video sharing app. Attorneys have recently set up web sites, and sent out press releases detailing Snapchat’s involvement in certain motor vehicle accidents. Particularly at issue, are the app’s “speed filter”, which allows an individual to track how fast they are traveling while taking a photo or recording a video, and the app’s feature which allows for photos and videos to disappear after viewing. The latter, attorneys argue, requires users to concentrate harder on the fleeting content, potentially distracting young drivers.
In one particular lawsuit filed this week in Georgia, a man who suffered traumatic brain injuries as a result of the accident, is suing the young woman who struck him with her own vehicle. The woman was found to have been using the app just prior to the accident, speeding at more than 100mph at the time according to the app’s speed filter feature.
Much of the motivation behind lawsuits naming Snapchat as a result of these motor vehicle accidents may stem from a lack of available money recoverable through drivers’ insurance policies. The minimum insurance coverage available to individuals is $25,000; an inadequate sum to pay for medical expenses stemming from serious injuries. Plaintiff’s attorneys, in an effort to recover for their clients, will attempt to recover from parties with higher insurance policies or deep pockets. An application like Snapchat presents such a possibility for a higher recovery on behalf of their clients.
If you or someone you know has been seriously injured in a motor vehicle accident, contact our office for a free consultation. 212-668-8400
