Deadly Video Games
During childhood, pretend play is a key developmental activity that allows a young boy or girl to explore situations and behaviors that are not frequently encountered or safe in the context of daily life. It is to be encouraged, and parents often take an active role in supervising or participating in these sessions.
But the technological advances and increased prevalence of video games have created a barrier between parents and their children, leaving many kids unable to distinguish between imaginary and real world needs. This can result in unhealthy physical and emotional responses to game-related events, tragically resulting in the wrongful death of your child.
If you have reason to suspect that your child or an adult loved one’s death was due to an intentionally addictive video game, then you may be able to pursue a legal action. Contact the Pennsylvania wrongful death lawyers of Lowenthal & Abrams, P.C. at 610-667-7511.
Video Game Dangers
The early video games, such as Pong, were entertaining distractions from daily life, but they were so limited in scope and realism that there was minimal risk that playing them would interfere with one’s “real” life. In just a matter of twenty years, however, the nature of video game design and capacity progressed to the point that single games could consume an individual so completely that they would identify more closely with the fictional world of the game than the actual world in which they live. The following constitute just some examples of how this can lead to a wrongful death:
- An individual may become so addicted to a game that he or she neglects his or her biological needs
- Becoming socially withdrawn into the game world can leave a person suicidal when unable to cope with the disparity between the kindness of people within the game and perceived slights outside
- Some are motivated to acts of violence against those whom they believe have wronged them within the video game world, and a civil action against a video game company may be appropriate
Contact Us
To honor the memory of your loved one and to prevent other families from experiencing the same trauma, it is important that you hold a video game company accountable for any wrongs they commit. Contact the Pennsylvania wrongful death lawyers of Lowenthal & Abrams, P.C. today at 610-667-7511 for more information on your legal rights and options.