Maison Law stands beside families after they’ve lost a loved one in a drowning accident along California’s coastline. We help close relatives hold property owners, businesses, and government agencies accountable when victims are allowed to swim in unsafe waters and without proper safety precautions. To find out how to hold at-fault parties fully accountable for their negligence in a drowning, contact a skilled California lawyer and schedule a free consultation.
California Beach Drowning Dangers
People come from around the world to enjoy California’s beaches and coastal scenery. The surf and sand are second to none, but there are drownings every year along the coast, and people must be extremely cautious when entering the Pacific Ocean. But those who own and operate beaches must also accept responsibility to keep beaches as safe as possible.
Property owners, businesses, government agencies, and others must show all visitors and customers a duty of care. Visitors should be alerted to natural hazards. Customers must be kept as safe as possible while boating, snorkeling, or sightseeing with a tour group. Any manmade hazards should be removed before someone can suffer a near-drowning or lose their life.
When owners and operators fail in this duty and an injury is suffered or life is taken, victims and their families are empowered to file accident claims and seek help in recovery or with the hardships that follow a tragic death. Families can file wrongful death claims and seek help with funeral costs. They can seek justice and support for the future when they will be without the love and financial support the deceased would have provided.
These are all cases of negligence that can leave property owners and government entities vulnerable to a wrongful death claim:
- Providing lifeguards who have proper training
- Supervision of lifeguards to make sure they are staying focused
- Lack of supervision to keep children safe
- Providing safety equipment and rescue boats
- Posted red flag warnings about rip tide dangers
- Posted underwater obstruction warnings
- Posted deep water and depth drop warnings
- No swimming signs in appropriate places
- Protection from reckless, drunk boaters
- Cleanup of trip-and-fall and slip-and-fall hazards around docks and piers
- Warning beachgoers about weather hazards
When these precautions aren’t taken all leave owners, operators, and government departments liable for the safety of swimmers, surfers, and waders. Unfortunately, these parties won’t accept blame willingly and may be able to afford teams of lawyers. These lawyers and insurance adjusters look for ways to blame victims and find ways to limit the support victims or their families receive.
Your California drowning accident lawyer is your safeguard against these tactics. Your Maison Law attorney fully investigates a drowning accident and collects the evidence needed to hold an at-fault party fully liable for the hardships your family has faced. Your lawyer then demands the most in support possible to make sure your family has what they need to protect themselves in the future.
Who Is Responsible If A Loved One Drowns Along the Beach?
The ocean is nothing like a swimming pool. Powerful natural forces make the sea much more dangerous for swimming. However, some hazards can be prevented or reduced. There are also actions property and business owners, and government employees might take that reduce the risks. But in some cases, those in charge of beaches and the ocean don’t do everything they should.
These and other parties can be held liable in lawsuits if their negligence contributes to circumstances that lead to ocean drownings:
- Negligent boaters who strike people in the water.
- The Sheriff’s Department and the Harbor Patrol Bureau tasked with keeping reckless boaters off the water.
- Property owners such as a homeowner near the beach who create hazards that contribute to a drowning.
- Business owners including resort owners, tour boat operators, and others who contribute to unsafe conditions that result in drownings
- Pier and dock owners and operators.
- City or County officials who operate beaches and provide lifeguards.
- State agencies such as the California Coastal Commission (CCC) might create hazards for swimmers or fail to properly warn visitors about hazards.
These and other parties could all be liable if you are hurt in a near-drowning or you lose a family member in a tragic drowning. In some cases, multiple parties may be found guilty of negligence that caused a tragic death. Your lawyer helps you determine how many parties to file accident claims against and seeks the most for families from every person responsible.
Drownings on Government-Operated Beaches
In California, there are very few private beaches. The vast majority of beaches are operated by city, county, and state agencies like The California Department of Park and Recreation over state park beaches.
When a beach drowning can be traced back to a government agency’s negligence, the families left behind may need the help of a skilled wrongful death lawyer to hold the correct department responsible.
Cases against any government agency are complex. Government agencies like the City of San Diego have legal protections that regular business and property owners don’t have. Families may have to file extensive paperwork simply to seek permission to file a legal claim with a city or state agency after a drowning.
The deadlines for filing a claim after a drowning could also be much shorter when dealing with local government, like the City of Los Angeles, The City of Santa Cruz, or the City of San Francisco. Families would have to file their claims much sooner or risk having their cases rejected. Make sure to consult with a skilled California drowning accident attorney to cut through this red tape and avoid missing important time limits.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I have to file a drowning wrongful death claim in California?
Families are granted up to two years to file a wrongful death claim, but waiting can make it harder to secure evidence for your case. Remember that a case involving a government agency could have much shorter deadlines.
What if my family can’t afford the help of a California 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.
Schedule a Free Consultation with a California Drowning Accident Lawyer
After a beach 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 California 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 a negligent party from avoiding blame and how to secure every benefit possible for your family after a tragedy.
