Maison Law stands beside Ceres families and helps them 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 Maison Law 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.
Should My Family Call a Lawyer After a Tragic Drowning Accident?
If someone’s negligence or a business’s mistake causes a drowning that claims a family member, it’s a good idea to talk to a Ceres drowning accident lawyer.
Nothing can bring back a loved one after a tragic accident, but families should seek justice and help in the aftermath of a drowning. Unfortunately, insurance companies representing those at fault won’t make it easy for families to secure support. Large companies involved can also afford teams of lawyers to help them escape blame or even shift blame to the victim.
A Maison Law Lawyer can fully investigate an accident and secure the evidence needed to force those at fault to accept responsibility and support grieving families. We often get families much more in wrongful death cases than they can earn by filing a claim themselves.
Who Can I Hold Responsible for a Drowning?
Any business or government department that contributes to unsafe conditions around a pool or body of water could be liable for any drownings that occur. This can include swimming dangers at a public place like Tuolumne River Regional Park. It might involve a terrible accident at a pool at a school, such as the pool at Ceres High School.
In our region, there are also plenty of water tanks and canals on local farms that could tempt young victims in. It’s up to landowners and farm operators to restrict access to irrigation water that can put children at risk.
Any water park in Modesto, or a hotel with a pool, would have a special duty to keep guests and visitors safe.
These are just a few of the parties that may end up liable in a drowning and responsible for providing support to the families left behind:
- Property owner or homeowner with a pool
- Waterpark owners
- Hotel chains providing pools for guests
- Paddleboard, kayak, innertube, and boat rental businesses
- Golf course owners and country club owners in charge of ponds and pools
- Farmers or agricultural companies that don’t secure agricultural ponds and canals
- 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
- Government departments overseeing public parks and river and lake access, such as Turlock Lake
Support for Families After a Tragic Drowning Accident in Stanislaus County
A wrongful death claim holds anyone contributing to a tragic death financially accountable for the difficulties that follow for close loved ones left behind. Under premises liability laws, businesses that feature pools or property owners and operators that are responsible for ponds and lakes must keep visitors and guests on their land safe from harm.
Pool owners can be liable for not providing enough lifeguards. They may be liable for not providing proper safety devices. They may be found to blame for not putting up fencing or warning signs around a dangerous body of water.
Parties that are proven responsible can be held liable for every damage a family must cope with after a tragic death.
These are a few of the hardships your attorney would be asking to be compensated for you and your family:
- Totals on leftover medical bills and emergency response fees.
- Support to pay for a funeral service and burial.
- Reimbursement for the wages the victim can no longer contribute to the family in the years to come.
- The emotional hardships a family endures and will continue to endure. Children must receive support for the love and guidance they’ll miss out on in the years ahead at major life events like graduations, marriages, and the birth of children.
- Cost of psychological counseling for family members to help them cope with the loss.
- Loss of consortium (The lost intimacy of a spouse or partner).
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can file a wrongful death claim after a drowning in California?
California law enables a spouse or domestic partner, children of the victim, or the grandchildren of the victim to file a wrongful death claim on behalf of the rest of the family. In some cases, the parents and siblings of the deceased may also be allowed to file. A skilled wrongful death lawyer can also represent the entire family and see that those at fault are held accountable.
What if I have to file a claim against a city, county, or state Parks and Recreation department?
These cases can be complex, and it’s a good idea to have a legal expert on your side. Government agencies are protected by strict laws when it comes to filing wrongful death lawsuits. You may have to seek permission to file a lawsuit against a government department. There’s also a shorter statute of limitations when filing a claim against the government. A lawyer can help you meet deadlines when filing a lawsuit.
How long does my family have to file a wrongful death claim after a drowning?
Families would usually have two years to file a wrongful death claim in California. That’s for a case involving a negligent business or property owner. As mentioned above, the statute of limitations is much shorter when you are suing a government agency.
Schedule a Free Consultation with a Stanislaus County Drowning Accident Lawyer
After a careless drowning accident claims the life of a loved one, take action to seek justice from a negligent property owner or business owner. Contact the skilled Ceres Drowning Accident Lawyers at Maison Law for a free consultation and case evaluation. It’s a no-risk way to find out how to keep an at-fault party from avoiding blame and how to secure every benefit possible for your family after a tragedy.
And don’t worry about having the money to hire an attorney. 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.
