Maison Law stands up for families who have lost a loved one in a tragic Santa Cruz drowning incident caused by negligence. We help victims hold property owners and operators responsible when victims are allowed access to unsafe pools, rivers, and beaches. To find out how to hold at-fault parties fully accountable for their carelessness, contact a skilled Santa Cruz lawyer and schedule a free consultation. It’s a no-risk way to determine how to seek justice and secure support for the family members left behind.
Should My Family Talk to a Lawyer After Losing Someone in a Drowning?
Families will understandably be in distress and perhaps vulnerable after such a tragedy. Insurance companies for negligent property and business owners can take advantage of this and seek to provide far less than they should for their mistakes. A Santa Cruz Drowning Accident Lawyer provides a defense against the tactics of greedy insurers and can often secure more in support for families.
Nothing can bring back a lost loved one, but those responsible for a drowning should face justice. Close relatives left behind must also be supported as they must deal with funeral costs and the loss of income the deceased may have provided. A lawyer can handle frustrating wrongful death claims and seek the maximum in support possible for close relatives. Maison Law lawyers want to deal with these details while giving families as much time to grieve in peace as possible.
Drowning Dangers in Santa Cruz
People from all over the world come to Santa Cruz for the beautiful shorelines, the boardwalks, and the amazing resorts. A lot of residents and tourists look for fun on and in the water in the summer. People may hit the surf at Santa Cruz Beach or Twin Lakes Beach. Parents could bring the kids to the public pools at Simpkins Family Swim Center for a dip.
Some may seek out swimming holes along the San Lorenzo River. Relief from the heat can be found at local hotel pools and resort and community pools. Families can drive to waterparks like the Water Oasis at Gilroy Gardens. There are also plenty of homeowners with private pools in their backyards.
These pools and natural bodies of water offer great fun for all ages, but the owners and operators of these parks are responsible for removing dangers that could lead to drowning. They should also be warning people of potential dangers, especially when swimming in unpredictable conditions found along the Pacific Ocean.
After a drowning, business owners, homeowners, and local government departments can be held liable when they fail to provide these and other safety precautions:
- Providing the proper number of lifeguards.
- Proper training for those lifeguards.
- Providing proper safety devices and first aid for swimmers and disabled guests. This includes having adequate rescue boats available.
- Maintenance of pools to prevent hazards with drains and pumps.
- Removal of slip-and-fall hazards on docks and around pools that might send someone into the water while unconscious.
- Preventing overcrowding.
- Providing fencing and security measures to prevent unattended people from entering and suffering harm in dangerous rivers and ocean spots. This also applies to dangerous ponds and canals on local farms and orchards where young people might be tempted to trespass and swim.
- Putting up warning signs about hazards in natural bodies of water like along rivers, ponds, and beaches. Signs about deep water, underwater obstructions, and strong currents. Rip current signs and no swimming signs.
- Keeping swimmers out of the path of careless boaters.
- Lack of supervision to keep children safe.
When individuals and businesses ignore their duties and life is tragically taken, those loved ones left behind can file drowning wrongful death claims. These at-fault parties, especially businesses and property owners, will often have the money to afford teams of lawyers. These lawyers will be paid to try to get your family to accept as little as possible in support or nothing at all.
It’s critical that you have a drowning accident attorney in your corner to protect your family’s interests. You don’t have to worry about how you’ll afford a Maison Law attorney. We don’t get paid unless we win your case. Then our fee comes out of the settlement money your family receives.
Who Can I Sue After a Santa Cruz Drowning Death?
Your lawyer would file claims or lawsuits against all parties that contributed to a drowning death. In some cases, families would have to sue multiple businesses or government agencies for what happened. The money each guilty party must provide is there to help family members rebuild their lives and protect themselves in the future.
These and other parties might have to contribute to the recovery of your family after a devastating loss:
- Property and Business Owners
- Waterpark and ocean tour owners and corporate owners
- Homeowners
- Homeowners Association (HOA)
- Hotel and Resort Owners
- Landlords providing apartment pools
- Property management companies
- Farm and Orchard Owners
- City or County Government Department
- State or Federal Agency
Suing a government agency, such as the Santa Cruz County Parks & Recreation Department after an accident, can be very complicated. Government departments are protected by laws that make it harder to sue them. They may require that families seek permission before an injury claim or a lawsuit is allowed to be filed.
What’s more the statute of limitations on filing a claim involving the government may only be a few months. After this, families will lose their chance to seek support during such a difficult time. Your attorney makes sure you file the correct paperwork and meet all deadlines. This ensures government agencies can’t escape accountability for the loss of life.
Compensation for Families After a Tragic Drowning
A Santa Cruz wrongful death lawyer makes sure that every hardship a family is put through after a tragedy is the responsibility of the at-fault party.
Every damage the family faces now and will face in the future must be included in a wrongful death claim. Anything left off would be something a liability insurance company could ignore.
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.
- The emotional hardships a family will suffer.
- Support for children of the victims who have lost the love and guidance of a parent. That includes the cherished moments of entering college and graduating and sharing the gift of childbirth with parents. Those moments can’t be replaced, but those at fault must be held accountable.
- 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)
- Reimbursement for the wages the victim can no longer contribute to the family in the coming years.
Schedule a Free Consultation with a Santa Cruz Drowning Accident Attorney
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 Santa Cruz 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.
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.
