Drowning accidents are not uncommon in Georgia. These tragic incidents devastate families. One difficult aspect surrounding such accidents is the fact that the majority of them could have been avoided if the right actions had been taken.
In some cases, following a drowning death, close family members may choose to investigate whether they can pursue a wrongful death lawsuit regarding their loved one’s loss. Here are two common drowning accident scenarios that could give rise to such a lawsuit:
Swimming pool accidents
Laws require the owners of swimming pools to enclose their pools and take other reasonable precautions to prevent drowning deaths. This includes providing supervision when children or adults are visiting the property. Failure to provide supervision and failure to take precautions to keep guests safe could result in a pool owner being liable in the event of an accidental drowning.
Potentially liable swimming pool owners could be businesses, private owners, community centers, theme parks, cruise boat companies and others that maintain pools on their properties.
Boating accidents
Boating, water skiing, jet skiing and other water sports create the dangers and risks of drowning accidents. In these circumstances, the owners of the boats must take care to keep their passengers safe. Boat drivers and boat owners could be liable to pay financial damages if their negligence or failures to keep passengers safe lead to a drowning accident.
It’s not uncommon for those who were operating a boat while drunk to be liable for their unlawful behavior that leads to drowning deaths. These individuals might face criminal charges. Also, it is possible the families of victims could pursue compensation from such individuals through a lawsuit.
Did your loved one die in a drowning accident?
Following a drowning death of any kind, the family members of the victim may want to look into exactly what happened to determine if another party may be liable for the incident. By reviewing the facts surrounding the death and applicable personal injury laws, surviving family members can get a picture what their legal rights and options are. Personal injury attorneys can help with this process.