Would a Property Owner be Responsible for a Drowning Accident?

By Dallas Personal Injury Attorney on March 5, 2013

In the state of Texas, property owners are held accountable for the safety of their own premises. This means that they must take reasonable steps to ensure a safe environment for all visitors—which could include remedying any hazardous conditions that arise, conducting regular maintenance and implementing necessary safety measures. Should they fail to do so and a visitor is subsequently hurt, they would be liable for providing the injured party with an adequate level of compensation. Most commonly, premises liability lawsuits are brought against negligent property owners after serious slip and fall accidents, but it is important to understand that these laws are applicable to a wide range of incidents—including those that involve near-drowning or drowning in an inadequately maintained swimming pool.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately ten people die in drowning accidents every day. This means that an average of 3,533 people are involved in unintentional drownings each year in the United States, with countless others suffering serious, but non-fatal injuries. Many people underestimate the danger that their swimming pool can pose to visitors—especially small children. It remains that most child-related drowning accidents occur in backyard swimming pools, however, so it is important for all property owners to ensure that they maintain a reasonably safe environment. This starts by adequately supervising children, as it has been reported that 70% of drowning victims weren’t expected to be in or near a swimming pool at the time that they were injured or killed.

Nine out of ten parents claim that they had been watching their child before the accidental drowning occurred, but preventing an accident takes more than just supervision. Constructing a protective fence or gate is also a practical way to prevent swimming pool accidents. If you or a loved one has already been involved in a serious near-drowning or drowning accident on someone else’s negligently maintained property, however, you should not hesitate to discuss your case with a Dallas personal injury lawyer from Lenahan Law Firm. In doing so, you may have the opportunity to pursue compensation for the harm that you have suffered—which may include reimbursement for the cost of your medical treatment and lost income, as well as damages for the non-economic losses that you have suffered.

Our advice is free when you contact the firm for an initial consultation, so we encourage you to take action today by calling at (888) 473-2820. You can also reach us online by filling out and submitting a free case evaluation form directly from our website.

Either way you choose to get in touch, however, we just ask that you do so soon, as there is no time to waste when you have suffered a wrongful injury.