Smartphones and legal practicalities

We recently heard from a Doctor who had been called upon to pronounce the death of a man who had died at the side of the road. 

The man had no wallet or ID on him but did have his smartphone. Upon checking the phone, they found that he had installed an app which allowed emergency personnel to access contact details for his next of kin, the name of the solicitor holding his Will, details of when his last text was sent (narrowing down time of death) and other useful information in the event of his demise. 

By arranging for vital information to be accessible, this man made things much easier for the medics on the scene who were able to contact his son on their way to the emergency ward.  It transpired that his son worked at the hospital so, in the absence of this app, the first he might have known of his dad’s death could have been seeing him wheeled in on a trolley. 

Nowadays, we all can use the emergency facilities available on smartphones, which allow essential information to be accessed via the lock screen of the phone without the need for a pin.

• For Apple users, there is an ‘Emergency’ button at the bottom left of the lock screen which then leads to a page with a red star labelled ‘Medical ID’. By pressing this, you can access a photo of the phone’s owner (for identification purposes), together with their name, date of birth and details of any medication or allergies and their blood type. It is also possible to list several emergency contact telephone numbers and for these numbers to be called immediately from the mobile phone, all without going past the locked screen.
• For Android users there are similar apps and in both cases, the mobile owner can simply take a screen shot of important information and use this as the wallpaper on their telephone. 

Unfortunately, people who know you are not always around to be able to relay information when necessary and by increasing awareness of the use of mobile phones in emergency situations, it is hoped that more people will think to check the smartphone of a person who has collapsed or needs assistance.

Where there is no close family, many people rely on their solicitor to be the point of contact and to pass on details of their Will instructions or contact distant relatives. 

In today’s modern world, many of us could benefit from following the example of this forward-thinking man by ensuring that those near to us are able to access crucial information in difficult times.  However, this is not restricted to medical information only.  Recording essential legal details, such as the name of your solicitor and the law firm holding your Will could prove valuable and save a large amount of time and effort for friends and relatives.

We never know when we may need assistance, whether hiking in rural mountains or crossing a busy city.  By being ready for whatever comes, we can give ourselves and our loved ones peace of mind while also incorporating our legal affairs in today’s technology.

If you would like to update your legal affairs or believe it’s time to make your first will please contact Dara Richards or any of the Private Client team who will be pleased to assist.