Maison Law stands beside families after they’ve lost a loved one in a California drowning accident on someone else’s property. We also help families who lose someone to a drowning accident while the victim was trespassing. To find out how to hold property and business owners, farmers, and government departments fully accountable for their negligence in a drowning, contact a skilled California lawyer and schedule a free consultation.
Do I Need a Lawyer After Losing a Family Member to Drowning?
Parties found liable for drownings won’t automatically provide the support they should to grieving families. These parties will fight to avoid taking the blame. They may be able to hire teams of lawyers to help them wiggle out of accepting any liability. They may even attempt to blame the victim.
A California drowning accident lawyer can help families in mourning prove the negligence of any property owner or operator and defend them against the tactics used by insurance adjusters. Your Maison law lawyer fully investigates your case and collects all evidence available, while providing as little disruption to your family as possible. Your family can rest assured that their lawyer is filing a strong case and seeking the maximum in support possible.
Drowning Hazards on Private Property
Many types of bodies of water can prove dangerous in California. On private property, people might encounter pools and Jacuzzis in backyards. People may own land along a lake or river. Farmers could maintain canals and ponds to keep their orchards watered.
These types of natural and manmade waters carry risks for those who enter. In some cases, victims may be entering private property to wade into a creek or hop in a private pool. Just because they weren’t invited onto a property, it doesn’t mean property owners are blame-free when it comes to terrible drowning incidents.
They can be liable for not warning people, And in the case of keeping children out of dangerous water, they might also be liable for not building barriers. A private pool owner could be found responsible if a child opens an unlocked gate and ends up dying in an unattended pool.
Property owners must prevent these and other hazards that can catch visitors unaware and put their lives at risk. These are just a few of the risks that property and business owners might be held accountable for:
Pool Hazards
- Pools with no safety devices located nearby
- Pool covers that aren’t secure
- Pool gates and barriers that are easily bypassed.
- A lack of lifeguards
- Slip-and-fall risks around the edge of the pool
- Drain and grate dangers for swimmers.
Natural Bodies of Water
- Lack of warnings about deep water, fast currents, and underwater obstructions
- Steep banks and muddy conditions
- Lack of no swimming signs
- Grates and spillways that can trap swimmers
- Lack of fencing keeping people away from dangerous waters.
Who Is Responsible for a Drowning on Private Property?
People shouldn’t trespass onto private property to enter a river or lake. There are dangers that they can’t know about that might cause them harm. However, when people get hurt while trespassing or even lose their lives, property owners can still face liability.
In some cases, homeowners and business owners would be responsible for putting up barriers to keep out potential trespassers. Property owners and farmers could be liable if they don’t do everything possible to warn potential swimmers of the dangers of entering ponds, lakes, rivers, and canals.
These property owners and those charged with maintaining pools and natural bodies of water might all be held accountable if a life is lost:
- Property owner
- Homeowner
- Farmer or agricultural company
- Business owners including resort owners
- A Home Owner’s Association (HOA) in charge of maintaining community pools and lakes
There’s no way to reverse the tragic results of a drowning. But it’s important to speak to a skilled California drowning accident attorney to find out how to seek justice and protect the family members left behind. An experienced Maison Law attorney can show families what insurance tactics to watch out for when filing a wrongful death claim and how to hold an at-fault party completely liable.
Compensation for Families After a Tragic Drowning
Close relatives are empowered by California Law to file wrongful death claims after losing a loved one in a preventable drowning. The spouse, domestic partner, and children and grandchildren of the victim could file this civil claim on behalf of the rest of the family. Anyone who can prove they were financially dependent on the victim could ask for support from an at-fault party.
A California wrongful death lawyer can also file this claim on behalf of eligible family members. The lawyer would make sure the family didn’t miss time limits and received the maximum in compensation available to provide for the family in the future.
These and other factors would determine the size of the wrongful death settlement or judgment:
- Totals on leftover medical bills and ambulance fees.
- Support to pay for a funeral and burial.
- Reimbursement for the wages the victim can no longer contribute to the family in the coming years.
- The emotional hardships a family will suffer. The children of the victims must receive support for the love and guidance they’ll miss out on in the years ahead.
- Support for parents who lose the love and companionship of a child now and in the future.
- Cost of psychological counseling for family members to help them cope with the loss.
- Loss of consortium. (The lost support of a spouse or partner)
Schedule a Free Consultation with a California Drowning Accident Lawyer
After a drowning accident claims the life of a loved one, families must take action to seek justice from a negligent property owner or business owner. It’s a difficult task at such a heartbreaking time, but families should protect themselves from further financial harm and a Maison Law representative can help.
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.
If you decide we can help you earn the most possible for your family, you won’t need any upfront money to hire us. Maison Law doesn’t get paid unless we win your family’s case. Then our fee comes out of the support you receive from an at-fault party’s insurance provider.
