The people of Florida love the water. Our many beaches, lakes, rivers, swimming pools, resorts, and theme parks offer countless opportunities for recreation. Our waterways are crucial to the economy for transportation and shipping.
Drowning Accidents
Accidents in the water bring unique risks, both of injury and death. People who do not drown in an accident may still suffer serious brain damage from a lack of oxygen. Accidents can result from negligence, from dangerous conditions on either the land or the water, or even from the tortious or illegal acts of another person. An experienced Florida drowning accident lawyer can help assess your case and recover compensation for you.
Types of accidents
Drowning accidents can occur anywhere you find water, not just in places that seem “dangerous.” Swimming pools pose an especially great risk of injury and drowning. Rivers and canals can be dangerous when boating accidents occur. Recreational activities in the ocean and on lakes, such as water skiing or jet skis, can lead to severe injuries. Florida’s many resorts and theme parks, not to mention cruise ships, can pose significant risks for injury or drowning.
Potential damages
“Drowning” obviously implies death. A person can die from lack of oxygen in a very short time, in a surprisingly small amount of water. Even if a person survives an accident in the water, serious debilitating injuries can occur. Oxygen deprivation can cause brain damage that can impair a person for life. The family or legal representative of someone who dies in a drowning accident may recover damages for wrongful death. A person injured in an aquatic accident can recover damages for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. If the injuries are severe enough, the injured person may also be able to recover the costs of rehabilitation, or damages for lost quality of life.
Types of liability
A person injured in an aquatic accident may claim negligence on the part of someone responsible for their safety. In public settings, an injury could be the result of a negligent lifeguard or beach patrol, or from negligent maintenance of a swimming pool or other recreational site. A manufacturer of pool equipment could be liable for defective products such as pool drains or safety equipment. In situations where a person drowns or suffers injury because of a dangerous condition on someone else’s property (e.g., if a person falls off a poorly-maintained dock), the property owner could be liable for the person’s damages. In some cases, one person may deliberately cause someone to suffer an injury over the water. That person could be civilly liable for the other person’s injuries or wrongful death, whether or not there are any criminal charges.
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Drowning and other injuries suffered in or on the water require a specific sort of knowledge and skill. The Deerfield Beach injury attorneys at of Goldman & Daszkal, P.A. represent people in Palm Beach and Broward County who have been injured in aquatic accidents. Contact us through this website or at 954-428-9333 for a free and confidential consultation.
