SLIP & FALL
Swimming Pool Slip and Falls
Swimming pools offer an opportunity for recreation and leisure, but also present a great risk of harm. Slip and falls often occur at swimming pools, and are caused by slippery surfaces. These falls may result in significant injuries, including drowning. The experienced attorneys at the Slatter Law Firm will aggressively fight to recover the maximum compensation for your or your loved one’s injuries.
Slip and falls at public and private swimming pools are governed by the laws of negligence. Persons that own, possess, or control the swimming pool are responsible for proper pool maintenance. At-fault persons may include local municipalities, residential and commercial property owners, property management companies, third party contractors, and other persons possessing or controlling the pool. The law requires these persons to maintain the swimming pool in a reasonably safe condition. As such, they must conduct routine inspections and repair or warn of any unsafe conditions relating to the swimming pool.
There are additional factors that affect whether these persons are at-fault. In determining whether the defendants are at-fault, the Court will determine the following:
- Whether a fence around the pool existed;
- Whether there were locks on any gates to the pool;
- Any prior history of falls near the pool; and
- Whether the surface surrounding the pool had slip-resistant materials that met the building code.
However, the insurance company’s attorneys may argue that your own negligence caused or contributed to your fall and injuries, and therefore, you should be partially or fully liable for your injuries and damages. This is why it is important to hire an experienced slip and fall attorney, who will conduct a thorough investigation.
Slip and falls often result in significant injuries, including traumatic brain injuries, bone fractures, spinal cord injuries, and death. Victims of these slip and falls are entitled to compensations for their injuries. If you are injured in a slip and fall, you may recover compensation for the following:
- Medical bills;
- Future medical treatment;
- Loss of income;
- Loss of earning potential;
- Scars or disfigurement; and
- Pain and suffering.
Slip and falls may also result in the fatal loss of a loved one. In such tragic circumstances, the surviving heirs can file a wrongful death lawsuit. In a wrongful death case, the decedent’s surviving heirs include the decedent’s spouse, domestic partner, and children. The decedent’s parents and stepchildren may also file a wrongful death lawsuit if they can demonstrate that they were financially dependent on the decedent.
In a wrongful death case, the surviving heirs are entitled to inherit the following:
- Funeral and burial expenses;
- Loss of financial support that the decedent would have contributed to his or her family during the decedent’s life expectancy;
- Loss of household services that the decedent would have provided; and
- Loss of consortium, which is the loss of companionship and sexual relations with decedent.
Statute of Limitations
Generally, lawsuits must be filed in Court within the applicable statute of limitations. Slip and fall cases must be filed within two years from the date of injury. If the plaintiff fails to file his or her lawsuit within such period of time, his or her case will be dismissed by the Court. As such, you should immediately contact a slip and fall attorney after your injury occurs.
Contact Us Today
Contact a Los Angeles personal injury attorney today if you or a loved one was involved in an accident involving a dangerous road condition. Slatter Law Firm has been helping individuals injured due to car accidents and slip and falls throughout Los Angeles and Southern California for over four decades. To schedule a free consultation, call our office at (310) 405-0964 or contact us online.
