Have you lost a loved one in a drowning accident and have questions about what to do after a drowning accident? Contact our Texas lawyers now.
1) Choose the Right Attorney
If you are searching for a Texas drowning lawyer, sadly, that means that you have lost a family member. One of the most important questions that people ask in your situation is, “How do I choose the best drowning lawyer to help me and my family?” The decision to hire a lawyer to help your family in such a difficult situation is probably the most important decision that you and your family will have to make. As such, we would strongly suggest that you interview at least two personal injury trial lawyers before you decide who to represent you and your family.
We would also suggest you ask some of the following questions:
1. “Are you board certified in personal injury trial law?”
2. “What experience do you actually have with trying cases to a jury?”
3. “Have you handled drowning cases before?”
4. “Will you give me your personal cell phone number so we can stay in communication throughout the case?”
If you choose to contact us for a free consultation, we’ll be happy to answer these and any other questions that you may have.
2) Available Damages
One of the questions that people ask when it comes to drowning death cases is, “What type of compensation is available to my family?” A drowning case is also considered, of course, a wrongful death case. In Texas, we have a wrongful death statute that the drowning case would be filed under. The person that drowned has their own claim; specifically, their estate has their own claim, if that person suffered before they died. For example, if a person knows that they’re about to drown or that they’re drowning, they are entitled to be compensated for that; the estate will collect those funds, and then those funds will be distributed depending on the heirs and whoever might be entitled to recover from the estate.
In addition to that, certain family members, such as parents, the spouse, or children, have their own claims for loss of companionship, loss of love, and loss of affection that that person provided to them when they were alive. There are also other damages that can be collected, such as lost income that that person might have earned for their family throughout their lifetime. There are other damages that you can also recover, many of which are unique to particular circumstances.
If you have any questions, please contact us for a free consultation. We’ll be happy to answer those questions for you, in terms of your particular situation.
3) Case Timeline
A few years ago, we represented a family whose child drowned in an apartment complex swimming pool. One of the questions that the family asked at the outset was, “How long is this going to take?” There is no simple answer to that question. In that particular case, the apartment complex denied responsibility. They blamed the child, claiming that the child had climbed over the fence that was around the pool.
We did a very thorough investigation. We interviewed tenants and other witnesses that were in the area at the time. We talked to the maintenance people that work for the apartment complex, and we subpoenaed some records and such. Through that process, we were able to prove that the lock on the gate had actually not been properly secured by the maintenance personnel the day before. The child had therefore been able to open the gate and then fell into the pool and drowned.
In that particular case, the apartment complex then changed their position and accepted responsibility, and we were able to resolve that case fairly quickly. However, if the apartment complex had not changed their position and had insisted that it was not their responsibility or their fault, then a trial might have been necessary and might have taken longer.
There is no simple answer to the question of how long a case will take. It depends on the specific and unique circumstances in your particular case. We’d be happy to discuss those with you. If you contact us for a free consultation, we’ll answer those questions and any other questions that you may have concerning your drowning case here in Texas.
4) Do not Make These Mistakes
When it comes to a drowning accident case here in Texas, one of the common mistakes that we see is people waiting too long to hire their lawyer. The reason it’s important to hire an attorney as soon as possible is because it gives the attorney an opportunity to properly investigate what happened. How did your loved one die? Why did your loved one die? Who may have caused the drowning death of your loved one?
It’s very important to begin the investigation as soon as possible after the drowning accident has occurred because we need to talk to witnesses and review documents and video. All that information is more accessible and available soon after the drowning incident rather than six months or a year later. A year later, you can’t find those witnesses, and, if you do find them, they don’t remember everything.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact us for a free consultation. We’ll be happy to discuss these questions and any other questions that you may have.
Have you lost a loved one in a drowning accident in Texas and have questions about what to do after a drowning accident? Contact our experienced Texas Drowning Accident Lawyers today for a free legal consultation and case evaluation.
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