Drowning Accident Attorneys

Drowning Accident Cases

Drowning is a leading cause of death for children under the age of 4, and often these tragic near-drowning and drowning accidents occur in private or public swimming pools. If you have lost a loved one in a drowning accident, it is important to contact a drowning lawyer from The Doan Law Firm, P.C. to assist you with your legal case.

Attorney Jimmy Doan was a drowning investigator for the Galveston Sheriff’s Department for over a decade prior to becoming an attorney and starting The Doan Law Firm. In addition to fighting for the rights of victims of aquatic accidents as a drowning death lawyer, Jimmy is President and Chief Executive Officer of Pool Guardians. He is also a member of the National Drowning Prevention Alliance. In these roles, Jimmy (and his firm) have a truly unique, comprehensive understanding and set of insights into aquatic accidents of all types, including fatal drownings. Jimmy and the rest of The Doan Law Firm legal team puts this unique experience to work for you.

Contact a skilled and dedicated drowning attorney today by scheduling your initial consultation for free!

Fatal Drowning Accidents

The United States has grown in leaps and bounds over the years, and while new areas are built, there are more and more swimming pools put into backyards, and public or city pools provided for the neighborhoods. This recreation is one of summer's high points, but sadly, can bring about a tragic end to a child's life.

Before diving into truly dreadful statistics about drowning deaths, a very important fact must be clearly understood: Most drowning deaths in the United States were preventable. These oftentimes unnecessary tragedies occur because of the negligence or recklessness of someone charged with maintaining appropriate, reasonable safety standards at a pool, beach, recreational venue, or other location. In other words, a majority of fatal drowning accidents were completely preventable.

The facts surrounding drowning deaths are beyond disturbing. These statistics are nearly incomprehensible.

320,000 people are estimated to die by drowning every year around the world. Consider this significant number of men, women, and children who fatally drown every rear more closely for a moment. The number of global drowning deaths nearly equates to the population of Tampa, Florida, and is almost twice the population of Fort Lauderdale. This figure is almost exactly the population of Corpus Christi, Texas.

Imagine for a moment one of another of these great American cities completely ceasing to exist. And there you have the number of people who die by drowning on an annual basis.

Between 3,500 and 4,500 drowning deaths occur in the United States annually. This equates to about 10 fatal drowning accident across the country every day, or a person declared dead by drowning every two-and-a-half hours. Drowning fatalities are the third leading cause of unintended injury death annually.

The highest rates of drowning deaths in the United States are among children between the ages of one to four. The age group with second highest rate of fatal drowning accidents is also children, between the ages of five to nine. Drowning is the leading cause of unintentional death of toddlers.

Common Causes of Tragic Drowning Deaths

There exist a number of commonplace causes of heartbreaking fatal drowning accidents in the United States. These include:

• Defective Pool Gates and Fences: Inadequate or malfunctioning pool gates and fences can allow unsupervised access to swimming pools, increasing the risk of drowning, especially for young children.
• Defective Pool Drains: Faulty pool drains and suction outlets can create dangerous underwater entrapment hazards. Swimmers, particularly children, can become trapped by the suction force of these drains, making it difficult to escape and potentially leading to drowning incidents.
• Improper Care and Maintenance around Pools: Neglecting proper pool maintenance can result in slippery surfaces, broken equipment, or water contamination, all of which can contribute to drowning accidents.
• Pool Manager or Operator Negligence: Inadequate training, lack of supervision, and failure to enforce safety rules at public or private pools can lead to drowning accidents. Pool operators are responsible for ensuring a safe environment for swimmers.
• Lifeguard Negligence: Lifeguards play a crucial role in maintaining water safety at public pools and beaches. Negligence, distraction, or inadequate training among lifeguards can result in delayed response to emergencies and increase the risk of drowning accidents.
• Inadequate Supervision: Insufficient or distracted supervision, particularly of children, is a significant factor in drowning accidents. Parents, guardians, and lifeguards must maintain constant vigilance when people are in or near the water.
• Lack of Safety Equipment: The absence or improper maintenance of life-saving equipment, such as rescue buoys, reaching poles, or first aid kits, can hinder rescue efforts in emergency situations.
• Inadequate Warning Signs: Pools and natural water bodies should have clear and informative warning signs to alert swimmers to potential hazards, including deep water, currents, and dangerous areas.
• Crowded or Overloaded Pools: Overcrowded swimming pools can make it challenging for lifeguards to monitor all swimmers and respond to emergencies promptly. This can result in accidents, including drownings.
• Inadequate Training or Certification: Individuals responsible for supervising swimmers, including lifeguards and swimming instructors, should have proper training and certifications to ensure they can respond effectively to emergencies.
• Unsupervised Access: When private residences or public facilities with swimming pools are left unattended or unlocked, it can lead to unsupervised access, especially by children or inexperienced swimmers.

File A Claim: Help Yourself and Others.

If safety standards have not been followed, other young people are at risk, and the legal action that you take could bring about change and save future lives. The claim for damages, when successful, can also provide your family with the ability to move forward without financial stress, and to pay for the costs associated with the loss of the treasured family member. If the fatal accident took place during a boating accident, it is also a critical matter to get justice and be compensated financially for the negligence that was exhibited by the responsible party.

Protecting Legal Rights from Coast-to-Coast

You are not alone if you’ve lost a family member in an unthinkable fatal drowning accident. The Doan Law Firm drowning death attorney team is here for you, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 52 weeks a year. You can reach our firm right now, or any other time you desire, by telephoning us at (800) 349-0000.

The Doan Law Firm is a nationwide law practice, with 40 hometown offices located across the country. You can schedule an appointment with a drowning death lawyer at any one of our offices, at your home, or any other location that is most convenient and comfortable for you. In addition, we can arrange a virtual initial consultation with a drowning death attorney online as well. There is never a charge and there is no obligation on your part for a case evaluation with a member of the Doan Law Firm fatal drowning accident legal team.

The Doan Law Firm makes an attorney fee promise to you. Our firm will never charge an attorney fee unless we win your case for you. We are committed to fighting tirelessly to obtain justice for you after losing a loved one as a result of a drowning death.

Contact a drowning attorney from the firm as soon after the incident as possible and you will be advised how to move forward with this very important legal action. You can take advantage of one of the firm's free consultations!