San Francisco Injury Lawyer Blog

As summer quickly approaches, parents and care givers need to be reminded of the dangers of swimming pools, lakes and areas with sedentary water. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were 3,582 fatal unintentional drowning in the U.S. in 2005, which averages out to be about ten deaths per day. More than 25% of drowning deaths are in children under the age of fourteen. For each of the children who die in drowning accidents, another four are treated medically for nonfatal submersion injuries. Males are four times more likely than females to die from unintentional drowning, and 30% of all children between the ages of one and four who died in 2005 died from drowning. Some of the major causes of drowning are lack of preventative measures, such as barriers, or proper supervision. If you child died in a drowning accident because of improper care, you should contact Greenberg & Rudman LLP immediately for a free consultation to learn about your rights. Call us now at 1-800-252-9776 (1-800-ALAWPRO).

A jury in Santa Barbara, California, on April 27, 2009, awarded $14 million in compensatory damages to the parents of a four year old boy who drowned in a Cathedral Oaks Athletic Club swimming pool in 2005. The boy, Yoni Gottesman, was attending a summer camp at the Club, which was unlicensed to run the summer camp. During the trial, there was a surveillance video showing the boy playing in the water with camp counselors, and then floating in the pool shortly thereafter. The surveillance also showed the counselors sitting around the pool, and the lifeguard getting out of his chair to buy a soda. The jury found that there was clear and convincing evidence that the employees there acted with malice, oppression and fraud, which allows punitive damages to be discussed in a second part to the trial. The compensatory damages included an amount for negligence, funeral and burial expenses and medical expenses.

Losing a child in a preventable accident is a devastating situation. The attorneys at Greenberg & Rudman LLP may not be able to bring your child back, but we may be able to obtain compensation for your child’s injuries. Call us now for a free and confidential consultation at 1-800-252-9776 (1-800-ALAWPRO). Visit our website at www.alawpro.com to read more on premises liability and wrongful death lawsuits.