Drowning is an incident that can be prevented in most cases. It’s a tragic event that results in people dying far before they should. In some cases, there is a person, company or facility that can be held liable for the wrongful death of your loved one.
If someone causes your loved one to drown by acting in a negligent manner or does not maintain a facility to an appropriate level, you may be able to file a lawsuit and win compensation from that party. Here are a few examples.
If your child drowns at a public pool with lifeguards but the lifeguard on duty is not paying attention or falls asleep during the shift, then that lifeguard’s negligence could mean that the employer is liable for your child’s death. In another situation, if there is an unkempt area around the pool that traps or pinches your child in a way that results in drowning, the facility could be held liable for the death.
People who drive boats may be held liable for drowning accidents as well. For example, if you and your sibling are on a boat when another boat slams into yours and causes your sibling to drown, the other driver is likely already at fault. If it’s shown that the driver was intoxicated at the time of the incident, then it makes it even easier to pursue a wrongful death claim against the driver.
These are just a few situations where another party could be held liable for a drowning death. Our website has more information on what you can do if you lose a loved one in this way.