Memorial Day is right around the corner, kicking off the unofficial start to summer. That being said, our South Florida beaches, lakes, rivers, pools and other bodies of cool water are never not packed with hordes of people from here, out of state or even abroad. With all those people, there are bound to be an unfortunate number of drowning accidents. If you or a loved one have sustained injuries in a water-based incident, please read on, then contact an experienced Miami-Dade County personal injury attorney to learn what you should know about drowning accidents in South Florida.
How are most drowning accidents caused in South Florida?
Drownings can have significant impacts on victims and their loved ones, whether or not the incident was fatal. Even those who survive may be saddled with brain damage and other devastating conditions. With that in mind, most drowning accidents are caused by the following:
- Inability to swim: A shocking number of children and, yes, adults, report that they either can’t swim or are weak swimmers.
- Lack of effective barriers around water: Without fencing and other barriers, young children may wander into the pool area and enter the water without the awareness of their caregivers.
- Absence of close supervision: Even with lifeguards present, people, especially young children, can drown quickly and quietly anywhere there is water, be it a lake, an ocean, a pool, a bathtub or even, sad to say, a bucket of water.
- Location of incident: Infants under a year old and other younger people can potentially drown anywhere. As for those fifteen years and older, most drownings occur in natural waters like lakes, rivers or oceans.
- Not wearing a life jacket: Especially when boating and swimming, life jackets can prevent drowning during water activities.
- Consumption of alcohol: This may not come as a surprise, but among adolescents and adults alcohol consumption is a component of:
- Up to 70 percent of water recreation-related deaths
- 25 percent of emergency room visits for drowning
- Approximately 20 percent of boating deaths
- Taking drugs and/or prescription medications: You may lawfully take medications for depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and other conditions, but these medications can have effects similar to alcohol consumption.
Whether you or a loved one sustained minor drowning-related injuries or succumbed to wrongful death, you need Scott Aigen, Esq. to fight for the compensation you deserve.
Contact a Miami-Dade County, Florida Personal Injury Lawyer
If you’ve been seriously injured as a result of negligence, or your loved one lost his or her life due to the negligence of another, you need an aggressive legal team you can depend on. No matter the origin of the injury at hand, our firm has the resources to satisfy the burden of proof in your personal injury claim and win you the compensation you need. Contact us at Aigen Injury Law today to schedule your free case evaluation.