Every year in the United States approximately 3,000 drowning deaths occur, and most of those victims are children. Thousands more go to hospital emergency rooms due to non-fatal yet catastrophic immersion injuries. Drowning is the leading cause of all accidental deaths among small children age 1 to 4 years and the second leading cause of death among children ages 1 to 14, second only to motor vehicle accidents.
A person can drown in less than two inches of water and sustain brain damage in submersion for a mere few minutes. During the summer season, there are approximately 10 water-related deaths per day related to drowning.
Drownings can take place in a number of places including:
- Public and private swimming pools
- Hotel pools and hot tubs
- Water parks
- Oceans, lakes, ponds, and streams
- Bathtubs
Swimming pool injuries and drownings are usually the result of some form of negligence. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has determined that major risk factors for swimming pool accidents and/or drowning are a lack of barriers and supervision.
If you have lost a loved one because of the negligent behavior of another in a drowning accident, contact an Arkansas personal injury attorney right away to discuss your options in filing a drowning accident claim. The attorneys at the Law Offices of Thomas G. Buchanan are experienced and familiar with pursuing drowning accident personal injury claims. For a free consultation call our office today at 501-296-9820.
Drowning accidents can result from a wide variety of negligent actions including:
- Negligence on the part of the owner of a swimming pool
- Manufacturing or design defects of spas and therapeutic hot tubs
- Defective installation of a fence or gate
- Negligence of the manufacturer of a faulty pool safety fence
- Negligent supervision by a school swimming teacher or a lifeguard, or improperly trained
- Lack of lifeguard
- Inadequate training or supervision of lifeguards at a public beach or pool
- Improper operating procedures
- Improper or defective safety equipment
- Diving board mishaps
- Failure to cover pools and spas
- Water too shallow
- Inadequate warning signs
- Failure to cover up drains
Even if your child survives a near-drowning experience, they risk suffering permanent brain damage because of prolonged lack of oxygen. This can result in costly medical treatments and permanent disability for your child. To ease the suffering and pain caused by the trauma of your child’s drowning accident, you may find it necessary to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the negligent individual, public facility, or safety device manufacturer. Through a wrongful death lawsuit you can seek financial restitution for your loss and prevent other children from suffering the same fate. The Arkansas child drowning attorneys at the Law Offices of Thomas G. Buchanan have worked on many child injury cases, including wrongful death and traumatic brain injury claims from Arkansas child drowning accidents. Our experienced attorneys will listen to your case, explore all theories of liability, and aggressively pursue the full amount of compensation your family deserves.
If your child or loved one has been a victim of a drowning accident contact our office today. The Arkansas drowning injury lawyers at the Law Offices of Thomas G. Buchanan have the financial stability, experience, medical knowledge and courtroom track record necessary to make certain that you or your loved one, obtain full and fair compensation. We will thoroughly prepare each case, review accident and medical records, speak to witnesses and health care providers, access liability and consider all possible legal and medical issues. Call us today at 501-296-9820 for an initial consultation. There is no fee to you unless we win your case. We serve clients in Little Rock, South, Eastern, and Western Arkansas.