Sacramento Accidental Drowning Lawyer
Every year, thousands of families face the fear, pain, and devastation of drowning accidents. Negligence is often to blame for cutting lives short in these situations. Unsecured premises, poorly maintained pools, careless supervisors, and boating crashes are all common constituents in preventable drowning accidents. If you suffered a serious injury or if someone you know died in a drowning accident, don’t hesitate to seek help from the Sacramento drowning attorneys at Eric Ratinoff Law Corp.
What Laws May Apply in a Drowning Case?
It is always best to speak with an accidental drowning lawyer in Sacramento to understand the exact federal, state, and local laws that may come into play in your particular case. Our lawyers have handled many drowning cases in our 50-plus years of combined experience and can help you understand your rights. That being said, there are a few basic laws surrounding drowning accidents in Sacramento, CA often involving:
- Premises liability. Property owners with pools, lakes, or other bodies of water on their premises owe duties of care to prevent accidental drowning. Property owners even owe this duty to trespassers, if they are children. Owners must install adequate pool covers, fences, safety gates, and other measures to ensure children cannot access pools unsupervised.
- Pool owner negligence. In some cases, a poorly maintained and unsafe pool may be the main cause of a drowning incident. Broken drains, for example, can trap the hair and/or limbs of swimmers, holding them underwater. It is every pool owner or manager’s duty to properly maintain the pool, replacing broken or outdated drains, repairing dangerous components, and posting signs such as “No Diving” to prevent injury to swimmers.
- Inadequate supervision. Pool parties at private homes or schools require adequate adult supervision if children are swimming. Failure to supervise children in pools is a main cause of childhood drowning accidents and deaths. If this sounds like something that happened to your child, it is important to speak with us as soon as possible. Your child has likely been the victim of negligence, and your family may be eligible to receive compensation.
- Boater negligence. Drowning accidents in Old Sacramento, the Sacramento River, or other nearby bodies of water may stem from the negligence of boaters or other water vessel operators. After a boating accident involving drowning, take down the names and information of everyone involved, including eyewitnesses. Call the police if an accident resulted in serious injury or major property damage. Then, call a lawyer.
To fully understand the laws in your drowning accident, talk to an attorney. A personal injury lawyer will investigate your case, interviewing eyewitnesses and gathering relevant evidence. Your lawyer can help you identify probable defendant(s), and file the proper paperwork with the Sacramento civil courts to begin your lawsuit. We can also help you negotiate with insurance companies, or work with a mediator to avoid going to court.
Contact a California Drowning Accident Lawyer
A study conducted by the School of Public Health in Sydney, Australia found that drowning is one of the highest causes of death during recreational water activities and that alcohol was found in 30%–70% of those people. In the aftermath of a drowning accident, you may feel at a loss for where to turn. Sacramento accidental drowning attorney, Eric Ratinoff and his passionate team sincerely hope you think of us in your time of need. We are aggressive, skilled attorneys who are dedicated to fighting for people. If you need to file a personal injury or wrongful death case after an accidental drowning, we are your source for legal counsel.
