Maison Law stands beside Visalia families who have lost a loved one in a tragic pool drowning accident that could have been prevented. We help victims hold property owners, landlords, resort owners, and City Parks Departments responsible when victims are allowed access to unsafe pools. To find out how to hold at-fault parties fully accountable for their negligence, contact a skilled Visalia lawyer and schedule a free consultation.
Should My Family Talk to a Lawyer After Losing Someone in a Drowning?
Families will usually benefit from discussing their case with a Visalia Drowning Accident Lawyer. A lawyer provides a defense against the tactics of greedy insurance companies 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.
Those individuals and businesses whose carelessness caused a tragedy will often have the money to afford high-priced lawyers. You must have a lawyer in your corner to protect your family’s interests.
We can handle the frustrating battles with insurance companies while providing as little disruption to you and your grieving family as possible. And 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.
Pool Drowning Dangers in Visalia
Many people in Visalia jump in pools on the first hot day of summer (even spring). Some people are lucky enough to have private pools in their backyards or may have access to one at their apartment complexes. Some parents cart the kids off to a local public pool at the Aquatics Center or the YMCA.
Other families end up staying at a local hotel with a pool or purchasing a ticket at a waterpark in the area or up in the Fresno area.
These are great places for cool, family fun, but they also carry the risk of drowning. Unfortunately, when property owners, business owners, or City of Visalia employees get careless, those dangers only multiply.
These are just some of the dangers that owners and operators can fail to notice and that could contribute to a tragedy:
- Providing the proper number of lifeguards
- Proper training for those lifeguards
- Providing proper safety devices and first aid for swimmers and disabled guests
- Maintenance of pools to prevent hazards with drains and other features
- Removal of slip-and-fall hazards 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
Owners and operators must monitor for these risks and show a “duty of care.” It’s a legal requirement for each pool owner or business to do as much as possible to reduce risks to swimmers and all guests. When they don’t take this duty seriously, and someone is hurt or someone drowns, the owners and a Parks and Rec Department can be fully liable for providing help to grieving families.
Who Is Held Responsible After a Pool Drowning Accident?
Any person, company, or agency who owns or operates a pool, or owns the land a pool is on could be liable for a drowning accident. When the pool owner is found negligent, families may file a claim and seek wrongful death benefits.
In some cases, there may be more than one party liable for an accidental death. Your pool drowning lawyer fully investigates what happened and holds every negligent party financially responsible for the drowning.
These and other parties could all share in the liability:
- A property owner
- Landlord or property management company responsible for a pool at an apartment complex
- Homeowners with pools
- Resort or hotel owner
- A Home Owner’s Association (HOA) or Country Club responsible for a community pool
- Theme park and waterpark owners
- Companies that provide pool maintenance
- City or County Government that operates and maintains public pools
When families must seek support from The City of Visalia after a tragedy, they must be cautious because government agencies have legal protections that make it harder to file claims against them. Families may have to file extensive paperwork simply to seek permission to sue.
The deadlines for filing a claim after a tragedy could also be much shorter when dealing with a city department. In normal cases against a homeowner or business owner, families have up to two years to file a claim. But a lawsuit targeting the city or county would have to be filed sooner. Make sure to consult with a skilled Maison Law pool drowning attorney to cut through this red tape and avoid missing important time limits.
Compensation for Families After a Tragic Drowning
Unfortunately, families devastated by a drowning incident can face financial hardships almost immediately. The spouse, children of the victim, or parents of the victim could see emergency response bills and funeral expenses in just a few short days.
The paychecks an adult victim may have supported the family with could also suddenly stop at this time. Leaving a spouse and children without the money they need to rebuild their lives.
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 remaining medical bills and ambulance fees.
- Support to pay for a funeral and burial.
- Support for 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 and intimacy of a spouse or partner)
- Reimbursement for the wages and benefits the victim can no longer contribute to the family in the coming years.
Schedule a Free Consultation with a Visalia Drowning Accident Lawyer
After a careless pool 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 Visalia Pool Drowning 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.
Families should also know that 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.
