Maison Law represents Bell families and stands with them as they seek justice and financial support after a tragic drowning. We help victims hold property owners and operators responsible when victims are allowed access to unsafe pools, lakes, and rivers. Contact our Bell drowning accident lawyers and schedule a free consultation. It’s a no-risk way to determine how you and your family can hold those at fault for a tragedy completely liable through a wrongful death claim.
Should I Talk to a Lawyer After a Family Member Is Lost to a Tragic Drowning Accident?
After a terrible drowning, families have to cope with more than just a tremendous sense of loss. Financial troubles often lie ahead for those left behind.
A spouse, children, and other close relatives may have a funeral, a burial, and leftover medical costs to cover. These expensive bills come due at a time when a spouse or children may also have just lost the income the victim had always supported the family with.
The owners and operators of dangerous pools and other bodies of water are held accountable under California’s Wrongful Death Laws. However, families often have to go through legal channels to get those at fault and their insurers to accept full blame.
Full compensation can mean families get supported now and in the future when loved ones may need money for the basic necessities or money to go to college.
A Bell drowning accident lawyer fully investigates how a drowning occurred and those at fault. Our lawyers also gather all evidence so that the facts can’t be changed. Maison Law’s Bell wrongful death attorneys often secure much more for families than they could secure by handling the case themselves.
Who Can I Hold Responsible for a Drowning?
Under premises liability laws, businesses must protect their customers, clients, and all visitors when they step through the doors. The same “duty of care” must be shown to swimmers showing up to use pools and beaches on rivers or ponds.
The water must be safe to swim in, and there must be an adequate number of lifeguards to watch over guests in certain cases. There must be security and barriers around places that are unsafe for swimming, such as irrigation ponds on farms and along the Los Angeles River. Pool filters and drains must be safe and working properly. It’s part of the duty of property and business owners must show it to their visitors.
The fault for a drowning or near-drowning may lie with a property management company that oversees a pool at an apartment. The owners and operators of a waterpark, like Splash! La Mirada Regional Aquatics Center could be to blame. A City Parks and Rec Department could be responsible for a drowning that occurred at a public pool like John Anson Ford Park Regional Aquatics Center in Bell Gardens.
These are just a few of the at-fault parties that Maison Law helps families hold accountable and financially liable:
- Property owner or homeowner with a pool
- Waterpark owners
- Hotel chains providing pools for guests
- Golf course owners and country club operators in charge of ponds and pools
- A Homeowner’s Association (HOA) in charge of maintaining community pools and lakes
- A landlord or property management company responsible for a pool at an apartment complex
- Paddleboard and kayak rental businesses
- Farmers or agricultural companies that don’t secure agricultural ponds and canals
- Government departments overseeing Los Angeles public parks and river and lake access
The Los Angeles River is a major feature along the eastern side of Bell. It’s not a safe place to swim, but curious children could be allowed access to the water and lose their lives. The Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA) and the Los Angeles Department of Rec and Parks oversee much of the river and can be held liable if someone drowns.
How Long Do I Have to File a Claim Against a Property Owner After a Drowning?
Victims suing businesses would have up to two years from the date of a drowning to file a lawsuit and seek justice for a drowning. It’s important that families not wait years to explore their options, though.
Waiting can mean evidence gets lost and witnesses become hard to find. Surveillance video that shows what happened could get erased.
If your claim will be filed against a government agency, the time you can wait to file will shrink dramatically. Government agencies like the City of Bell or the LA Department of Recreation and Parks are protected from lawsuits by restrictive laws and statutes. The statute of limitations can be only around 6 months. Wait longer, and the city could escape blame for what happened.
In some cases, government departments can also require families to submit information and seek permission to file a claim. These cases can be complex, and governments can afford their own legal teams. You should have your own skilled Bell premises liability attorney protecting your family and demanding the maximum in support available.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if my family can’t afford the help of a Bell drowning accident lawyer?
Maison Law fights for the rights of families on a contingency basis. It means we don’t get paid unless we win the case for your family. Then our fee comes out of the settlement check or judgment your family receives.
What type of support can my family earn after a drowning?
Families should receive help to pay for funerals and any leftover medical bills. They should get assistance in replacing the income the loved one would have provided to a spouse and children in the future. The family should also earn support for the emotional trauma they’ll continue to deal with.
Can parents seek wrongful death support if a child is lost in a tragic drowning?
Yes. Parents in mourning should receive all available support for the funeral bills they receive. They must get help paying for the emergency response fees and any medical bills that may be left over. They’ll receive support for non-economic damages, too, such as the emotional trauma they are put through. That includes consideration for the loss of the companionship that a mother and father will have to cope with the rest of their lives.
Support for Bell Families After a Tragic Drowning
After a careless drowning accident claims the life of a loved one, take action to seek justice from a negligent property owner or a governmental department. Contact the skilled Bell Drowning Accident Lawyers at Maison Law for a free consultation and case evaluation.
Your family is under no obligation for this no-risk meeting. It’s a confidential way to find out how to keep a negligent party from avoiding blame and how to secure every benefit possible for your family after a tragedy.
