Drowning and near-drowning accidents are a great cause of concern in the Seattle area. According to the Washington State Department of Health, drowning is the second leading cause of death by injury among children from birth to age 17 (motor vehicle crashes are the number one cause of injury-deaths in that age group, in Washington and nationwide). In 2004, there were 97 drowning deaths of Washington residents of all age groups.
Perey Law Group, PLLC has represented many victims and victims' families following deaths and injuries due to drowning or near-drowning. Contact us today for a free consultation.
Permanent Disability
Near-drownings are several times more common than fatal drownings. Non-fatal drowning accidents can leave the survivor with brain damage that results in long-term disabilities ranging from learning and memory problems to the permanent loss of basic functions (that is, a vegetative state). According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the medical care costs for drowning survivors in the U.S. are more than $500 million each year.
Compensation for Losses
At The Law Office of Ron Perey, our lawyers and staff have helped clients deal with the devastation that a drowning or near-drowning can cause. Cases of drowning and near-drowning have elements of law that you may be familiar with, such as the concepts of negligence, personal injury, and wrongful death. If your loved one has suffered a drowning accident that was due to the negligence of another, we may be able to help you recover compensation for your losses, including:
· Medical bills
· Long-term nursing or facility care
· Loss of income
· Funeral costs
· Loss of companionship
· Pain and suffering
Causes of Drowning and Near-Drowning Accidents
Drowning and near-drowning accidents can happen in a wide variety of circumstances — at home, in swimming pools, in natural settings, while boating, or while scuba diving. Common conditions that may lead to drowning include:
· Impaired judgment from drug or alcohol use
· Submersion by another person —e.g., misguided children's play
· Water conditions that overcome a swimmer's ability — e.g., deep water, turbulent or fast water, rip currents, undertows, and eddies
· Entrapment — being physically unable to get out of a drowning situation because of a lack of an escape route, snagging or by being hampered by clothing or equipment; often a boating accident scenario
· Underwater blackout after trying to extend a breath-holding dive
· Blacking out on the ascent from a deep breath-hold dive, due to latent hypoxia
· Incapacitation due to exhaustion, cold (hypothermia), shock, injury, heart attack, stroke or seizure
People have drowned or nearly drowned in much less dramatic circumstances, too — in the bathtub at home, for example, or even (in the case of small children) in a toilet or bucket. Please consult the Seattle Children's Hospital website for guidance on how to prevent drowning accidents.
If a drowning or near-drowning has affected you or your family member, you can turn to the understanding staff of Ron Perey's law office. We look forward to helping you. Contact our office today for a free review of your case.
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Perey Law Group, PLLC
1606 8th Avenue North
Seattle, WA 98109
Phone: (206) 443-7600
Fax: (206) 443-4785