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When To Call An Attorney For A Summertime Accident

Posted by: at 9:52 AM on July 23rd, 2021

Summertime brings to mind backyard barbecues, pool parties, family vacations and fun in the sun. The slower pace of summer and the abundance of outdoor activities and more time spent outside by the pool or even on the road can lead to pain and suffering – especially if you or a loved one experiences an injury as the result of someone else’s negligence.

So, when should you call a personal injury or wrongful death attorney? Here are some examples of situations when you should contact someone for legal advice.

Drownings – Drowning is the leading cause of accidental death in children. According to the Centers for Disease Control, 10 people per day die from accidental drowning, 20 percent of whom are children ages 14 and younger. The statistics are sadly higher for minorities than whites across all age groups, and that disparity is most pronounced in swimming pools.

As we seek relief from summer heat, we must also be mindful of the risks to children from being around swimming pools. Homeowners with private pools on their property should check gate locks to ensure they are safe and secure from curious neighborhood children, but what about semi-private pools such as those in apartment or condo complexes?

Commercial property owners and homeowners associations are responsible to keep pools safe and secure as well. However, if property owners have not taken appropriate measures to safeguard against accidental drowning or other dangers, you could seek a recovery from the property owner or HOA in the event of an injury or loved one’s death.

 

Motorcycle accidents:
Approximately 50 percent of motorcycle accidents not involving another vehicle occur due to drug or alcohol impairment, sleep deprivation or reckless driving such as excessive speeding. Although these are common causes of other types of motor vehicles accidents as well, motorcyclists are 35 times more vulnerable to serious injury or death than occupants of vehicles who are in a car accident.  Seventy-eight percent of crashes between motorcycles and cars are head-on collisions (only five percent are rear-end collisions) and they account for 56 percent of motorcyclist deaths.

Cars making left hand turns account for 42 percent of all motorcycle accidents involving a car. Cars are most likely to hit a motorcycle when the motorcycle is driving straight through the intersection or when the motorcyclist is passing or trying to overtake the car.

Boating accidents:
Boating accidents are almost always caused by driver errors such as drinking and boating, distracted boating, inexperience and excessive speeds. Approximately 5,000 boating accidents occur every year in the U.S. and almost 1,000 people die from boating accident injuries annually. Adults and kids should wear life jackets while boating and avoid boating during stormy weather.

Playground accidents:

The increased use of playgrounds in the summer time – both private and public equipment – brings a higher risk of playground accidents. Always supervise your children while they use playground equipment and steer them away from equipment that is above their age, size or skill level.  

Defective products liability can come into play here as well. The law recognizes that by participating in certain activities – visiting an amusement park, going down a water slide, swimming in a wave pool or riding on an inflatable – contain inherent risk, even risk of serious injury or death by the participant.

Operators are required to take reasonable measures to keep the premises safe, but if you believe your injuries were caused by overt negligence, talk to us about your case. Some operators really are negligent in their training, safety checks and monitoring of their property for potential risks which can put visitors and activity participants at risk.


Burns:

From grilling accidents to lighting up those leftover July 4th fireworks burns can result in severe disfigurement or other painful injuries. Certain products may even be contributors to these injuries if they are deemed to be defective – fireworks, lighters, propane tanks, gas grills, etc.

Premises Liability:

An apartment or condo complex or an office or other commercial property owner owes a duty to residents, tenants and visitors to maintain a safe premises. From proper lighting, well maintained sidewalks/walkways to instructional signage, there are a number of things a property owner is expected to do to ensure everyone's safety.  

If you or a loved one are injured, contact the LDM offices.  We have over 40 years or ensuring that our clients recieve the justice and compensation they deserve.