A fun day at the pool can quickly turn to tragedy when a drowning occurs. Whether or not a drowning event is fatal, the family is left with devastating consequences and unanswered questions. When someone else’s negligence contributed to the drowning, you should seek justice and accountability. You can start by contacting an experienced Oklahoma City pool drowning accident lawyer.
At Oklahoma Injury Law Firm, we focus exclusively on personal injury law. Our sole commitment is to recover fair compensation for accident victims and their families who were harmed due to the negligence of others. We have years of experience and have recovered millions of dollars in compensation for accident victims and their families. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation with a skilled and compassionate personal injury lawyer from our firm.
Dangers of Drownings
While anyone can potentially drown – even experienced swimmers – some people are at a heightened risk of danger. In the United States, males are about four times more likely to be involved in a drowning. Children younger than four are also at a greater risk of drowning. African Americans and Native Americans have higher rates of drowning incidents compared to other groups.
Drownings are often fatal. It only takes a few inches of water and a few minutes underwater to drown. Even when drowning is not fatal, it can have serious repercussions. Victims suffer from a lack of oxygen during drowning incidents, which can cause brain damage and a loss of basic functioning.
Drownings can occur at various locations throughout Oklahoma City, including:
- City pools
- Creeks, rivers, and lakes
- Aquatic centers
- Private pools
- Athletic facilities, such as Boys and Girls Club and YMCA
- State parks
Factors That Contribute to Drownings
While pools and other water sources can be fun, those responsible for the property must take proper safety measures to ensure the safety of visitors. Property owners have a duty of care to keep boaters and swimmers safe. One way to fulfill this duty is to obey the various rules in place, such as laws that require private pool owners to place fencing or barriers around pools and rules that prevent drain suction issues that could hold a victim underwater.
Owners and operators of these locations may violate their duty of care by:
- Failing to install fences or barriers around pools
- Failing to post warning signs about water depth changes, steep banks, underwater obstacles, or other hazards around the pool or body of water
- Failing to post “no swimming” signs
- Failing to post signs for boaters about the presence of swimmers
- Failing to provide lifeguards
- Failing to provide proper training for lifeguards and staff
- Failing to provide proper safety devices and lifejackets around pools
- Failing to maintain pools
- Failing to clear pools of slip and fall hazards
- Failing to prevent overcrowding in pools
If somebody violated their duty of care, contact a OKC premises liability attorney.
Who Is Responsible for Drownings?
Owners and operators who violate their duty of care can be held financially responsible for drowning deaths and injuries. This is true whether the owner or operator is the government, a business, or a private citizen.
Multiple parties can sometimes share fault for a drowning accident. An experienced OKC pool drowning accident lawyer can help identify all the parties who contributed to your loved one’s death or injuries, such as:
- Homeowners or property owners with a pool or land adjacent to a body of water
- Hotels, resorts, or water park owners
- HOAs responsible for pools or lakes
- Property management companies that fail to maintain pools at apartment complexes, other multi-family properties, or other properties
- Boating or paddleboard rental companies
- City, county, or federal government agencies that oversee public bodies of water
- State park departments responsible for lakes and signage
- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which is responsible for some lakes, such as Lake Texoma
What Damages Are Available After a Drowning Accident?
A personal injury claim or wrongful death lawsuit can demand compensation for the losses your family has experienced due to the negligence of the property owner in causing the drowning. These legal claims can ease some of the financial burdens that arise after a death or serious injury and may provide a sense of justice to a grieving family.
Some of the damages your family may be able to seek include:
- Payment for medical bills, EMS bills, and emergency room treatment
- Funeral expenses and burial costs
- Lost wages, reduced earning capacity, and/or loss of financial support caused by the death or injuries
- Loss of anticipated services and support
- Emotional trauma
- The victim’s physical pain and suffering
- Loss of companionship
- Loss of guidance
- Loss of consortium
An experienced Oklahoma City Pool Drowning Accident attorney can carefully review your case to determine the damages you can claim.
What Is the Deadline to File a Personal Injury Lawsuit in Oklahoma?
For wrongful death claims, families have up to two years from the date of death to file a wrongful death claim. If the matter involves a government agency, shorter deadlines likely apply. These deadlines vary by whether the governmental entity is a city, municipality, county, or federal government. Some deadlines only provide grieving family members with a few months to take legal action.
Additionally, special rules exist to protect the government against litigation. Sovereign immunity requires claimants to get permission from plaintiffs before they file suit against the government. Furthermore, the government agency is entitled to official notice. An experienced attorney can guide you through the legal process and take timely legal action on your behalf.
Contact Our Oklahoma City Pool Drowning Accident Lawyers for a Free Case Review
If you lost a loved one in a tragic drowning accident, the experienced personal injury lawyers from Oklahoma Injury Law Firm can help. We assist grieving families hold negligent pool operators and government agencies accountable to the fullest extent of the law. We can investigate your case to identify the unsafe conditions that contributed to the pool and the parties at fault for the incident. Contact us today to schedule a free case review with a member of our legal team.