Do you ever see comments on Facebook that make you cringe but don’t actually specifically name the person that the comment is about? Jacqueline Hammond made such a post that cost her $500,000!
She posted “I didn’t get drunk and kill my kid” about a former co-worker, Davyne Dial, and was sued for libel (a written statement that is slanderous). The former co-worker’s son was killed in a gun accident 20+ years ago. Davyne Dial was not drunk at the time of his death and was not held responsible.
At the end of the two-year long lawsuit, the court determined that Jacqueline Hammond owed Davyne Dial $250,000 for actual damages (the emotional distress and defamation), and $250,000 for punitive damages.
If you have a personal injury endorsement on your homeowners policy, the insurance company will hire a lawyer to defend you and pay a claim in a situation like this.
The moral of this story is to make sure your homeowners policy has personal injury coverage, AND don’t make a post like Jacqueline Hammond did!
Darr Schackow insurance agency recommends that everyone purchase the personal injury endorsement on their home insurance policy.