Dedicated Beaumont Drowning Accident Attorney
Sadly, accidental death or serious injury from drowning occurs far more frequently than many people realize. An average of over 3,500 unintentional drowning deaths (unrelated to boating) occurred from 2005 through 2014 according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevent (CDC). Moreover, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), drowning is the third leading cause of unintentional injury death worldwide, accounting for around 320,000 deaths annually. Children, especially, are at increased risk of death by drowning. In Texas, drowning is the number two cause of accidental death among children and the fifth leading cause of accidental death among adults.
If your loved one has drowned due to the negligence of a homeowner, boat operator, or other person or entity, you have the right to seek justice on their behalf. The drowning accident attorneys at the Gilbert Adams Law Offices are prepared to help you fight for the compensation you and your family deserve after suffering a tragedy due to the negligence and recklessness of others.
How Do Drownings Happen?
Drownings are frighteningly common, especially among children. Drowning accidents can result from a variety of factors, nearly always due to someone’s negligence. Preventable drowning accidents can be caused by negligent acts or omissions, including:
- Manufacturing or design defect or failure of a hot tub or pool
- Defective protective equipment such as life vests or water wings
- Defective installation of a fence or gate to a private pool
- Negligent supervision by a lifeguard, parent, or school official
- Negligent behavior by a homeowner or apartment manager with a pool
- Lack of adequately training lifeguard on duty at a beach or public pool
- Inadequate training or supervision of lifeguards at a public pool or beach
- Overcrowding at a public pool
- Missing safety equipment
- Negligent maintenance of a pool or hot tub
If your loved one has drowned, a seasoned Texas personal injury attorney can help you investigate the circumstances of the accident and find out who was responsible.
Homeowner Liability
Homeowners, apartment managers, and managers of public pools all have a responsibility to ensure the safety of any guests on their property. If an injury occurs as a result of the owner or manager’s negligent failure to keep the premises safe, then the injured plaintiff or their surviving family can sue for damages.
With swimming pools, additional complexities in the law may arise. The “attractive nuisance” doctrine establishes that a homeowner may be liable even if the injury is caused to an uninvited guest, such as a child who enters their backyard without the homeowner’s knowledge or consent. Liability may attach when the pool is not properly fenced-off or protected, or where there is some other reason to believe a child could be unable to recognize the dangers of the nuisance (such as an unguarded swimming pool). These types of claims can be difficult to prove, but if your child was killed because of a homeowner’s negligence, the drowning accident attorneys at the Gilbert Adams Law Offices will help you build the strongest case possible for recovery.
Injury to Near-Drowning Survivors
Even if you or your child managed to survive a drowning, you might still have a claim for injuries sustained including medical expenses. People who survive a drowning can experience temporary or permanent organ damage, as well as damage to the brain caused by asphyxiation. Symptoms of hypoxic brain injury (brain damage caused by lack of oxygen) include inattentiveness, poor judgment, loss of memory, decreased motor function, and others.
Near-drowning survivors may also suffer from brain ischemia, caused by a lack of blood flow to the brain. Full recovery is possible if the oxygen supply was limited only momentarily, but longer periods can lead to permanent damage. Brain injury from ischemia can include swelling or seizures, and more severe forms can result in coma or death.
Get Help Recovering After a Drowning Accident from Dedicated Texas Personal Injury Attorneys
If you or someone you love has drowned as a result of someone else’s negligence in Texas, find out about your right to compensation by contacting the compassionate and experienced Beaumont personal injury lawyers at the Gilbert Adams Law Offices for a no-cost evaluation of your case at 409-835-3000.
