Personal Injury Attorneys - Drowning Accidents

Washington, D.C., Maryland, & Virginia

Approximately 3,000 drowning deaths occur in the United States each year, and most of those victims are children. Many more suffer serious, often irreversible injuries in near-drowning accidents. Drowning is the leading cause of all accidental deaths among small children (1-4 yrs) and the second leading cause of death among children 1-14, second only to motor vehicle accidents.

In non-fatal drownings, brain damage generally results after four minutes of submersion, and an estimated 20% of victims suffer severe, permanent neurological disability. Each year, more than 2,000 children under the age of five are treated in emergency rooms for submersion injuries. Some severely brain damaged swimming pool accident victims have initial hospital stays in excess of 120 days and expenses in excess of $150,000

Drownings can take place in a number of places including:

• Public and private swimming pools
• Hotel pools and hot tubs
• Waterparks
• Oceans, lakes, ponds, and streams
• Bathtubs

Swimming pool injuries and drownings are usually the result of some form of negligence. Each specific water-related injury case must be analyzed by an experienced personal injury attorney to determine the victim or survivors' rights to compensation. The attorneys at Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata & Siegel, P.C. in Washington, D.C. have the financial resources and experience to help you recover the maximum compensation for your injuries or loss in any water-related accident.

Who's Responsible?

There are many laws related to swimming pools and other public swim facilities. If a swimming pool is not carefully protected, a child or some other innocent person may drown or suffer permanent injury. In many cities and counties in and around our area, the law requires that owners install a locked fence around a pool to prevent injuries and drownings. So, if a pool owner has failed to install a fence, he/she may be legally responsible for your injury or loss.

Pool owners are also often responsible if the drowning or injury was the result of negligent property conditions. Slip-proof surfaces should be installed around a pool to prevent slip and fall injuries, and safety equipment should be available. If a pool does not have sufficient diving depth, a pool owner must provide proper warning signs to prevent diving injuries. Diving injuries often cause neck injuries and paralysis.

If a lifeguard is assigned to a pool but his/her negligence resulted in a drowning or serious injury, then the owner of the pool or the hotel where the pool is located may be held responsible.

If you or a loved one has been injured as a result of negligent or intentional conduct in Maryland, Virginia or Washington, D.C., please email or call our skilled personal injury attorneys and legal team today. We are committed to obtaining justice for you - the victim.

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