There were 486 drowning death incidents in Florida in 2021. Hillsborough Country had the second-highest number of drawing deaths in 2021 (after Broward County), with 29 fatalities.
Florida drowning deaths commonly occur in natural waters or pools from boat accidents, pool accidents, and water park accidents. Many cases result from Negligence or the property owner’s failure to take necessary measures to keep their visitors safe. For example, a water park that fails to ensure proper safety protocols could make them liable for your loved one’s drowning death.
If your child or loved one died in a drowning accident in Tampa Bay or anywhere in Florida, contact a Tampa Drowning Death Attorney. You might be eligible to file a wrongful death claim in Florida. If so, we will work with your family to get compensation from all responsible parties.
Drowning Statistics in the US
The most disturbing fact about drowning is that it is preventable. The US Coast Guard reported 658 boating fatalities in 2021. Here are some figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to illustrate the prevalence of a tragic drowning events:
- One in five people who die in a drowning death are children aged 14 and younger.
- For every child who dies drowning, an additional 7 require emergency medical care for submersion injuries.
- Nearly half of all drowning victims treated in the Emergency Room (ER) require extended hospitalization or transfer to specialized care (the normal rate is 10%)
- More than half of all adult drowning accidents happen in natural waters like lakes, rivers, or oceans
- Even non-fatal drowning injuries can cause long-term disabilities such as:
- Memory challenges
- Learning disabilities
- Permanent losses of basic functions or a permanent vegetative state
If your loved one died in a preventable drowning death, contact a Tampa Drowning Death Attorney. Or, if your loved one sustained any lasting damage from a drowning accident, we can help you file a Florida personal injury claim.
Common Causes of Drowning Deaths in Florida
Here are some of the top causes of drowning deaths and accidents in Florida:
- Missing or ineffective fencing around the water
- Lack of adequate supervision
- Drunk or drugged boat operation
- Not wearing a life jacket
- Falling overboard on a boat
- Location (infants under 1 are most likely to drown in a bathtubs, ages 1-4 in home swimming pools, and ages 5-14 in natural waters or swimming pools)
What Should I Do After Losing a Loved One to a Tampa Drowning Death?
A deadly accident in the water can devastate you and your family. The aftermath is often confusing and difficult. First, call the authorities and get emergency medical care if you were present when the drowning death happened. Depending on where the drowning accident occurred, this could be on-duty lifeguards, harbor patrols, the Coast Guard, EMTs, or other suitable medical professionals. While waiting for emergency medical staff, see if anyone nearby is certified in CPR to try resuscitating them ASAP. This will increase your loved one’s chance of recovery and staying alive.
If your loved one fell overboard and died or went missing, there are some critical steps to take to protect your and your family’s rights. It’s best to contact a Tampa Drowning Death Attorney right away to get sound legal counsel. You may need to contact the boat or property owner and preserve evidence to prove the facts of the case.
Then, if you need to file a wrongful death claim, a Tampa Drowning Death Attorney will help you begin the process.
Filing a Lawsuit for Wrongful Death in Tampa
Filing a lawsuit and getting compensation can help lessen the financial strain on your family. While nothing can compare to the pain of losing a loved one, financial recovery will help give you the resources to keep going.
If your deceased loved one provided for your family and was primarily responsible for the following:
- Household income
- Childcare
- Other household services
- Other family duties
Then it will be tremendously helpful to get financial compensation. This can make all the difference in your and your family’s quality of life without your loved one. In addition, if you file a wrongful death lawsuit, you may also be eligible to seek compensation for non-economic losses like pain and suffering, grief, and loss of companionship.
A Tampa Drowning Death Attorney Will Help you Establish Negligence
To file a lawsuit against the party responsible for a Florida drowning death, you need to demonstrate that they made a mistake or did something negligent to cause the death. Here are some examples of Negligence that could warrant liability in a Florida wrongful death case:\
- A boat without proper safety measures to keep a passenger from falling overboard and drowning
- Reckless boat driving that leads to a crash and subsequent drowning death
- Intoxicated boat operation that leads to a drowning death
- A water park that lacked adequate lifeguards or staff to save a drowning child
- Other dangerous conditions on a boat, pool, or water park that caused someone to fall into the water and drown
However it happened, a Tampa Drowning Death Attorney will advocate for your family by examining all case details and gathering evidence to win justice for you and your family. Sometimes evidence to prove the other party was negligent can easily be archived. However, there isn’t much tangible evidence that can corroborate the events in natural waters unless there were witnesses.
A skilled Tampa Drowning Death Attorney knows how to build a strong case. We will collect evidence from the accident scene to show how your loved one was injured or killed.
Drowning Deaths and Disappearances in Tampa
Sadly, some drowning death cases are “presumed” deaths. Meaning sometimes a victim goes missing after falling into the water, but the body is not found immediately. The most tragic cases are when the victim’s body is never recovered from the water. Such a situation is not only tragic but also perplexing for the family. That’s because they have to almost assume their loved one is dead even if they cannot confirm it 100%. They are left without much closure for such a grave situation.
If your loved one disappeared in a Florida water accident or a Florida boat accident, you might still have grounds for a wrongful death claim. Seeking counsel from a proficient Tampa Drowning Death Attorney will give you answers to these critical questions. Their guidance can help relieve the stress of handling complex legal proceedings while you grieve. Additionally, with the help of a Tampa Drowning Death Attorney, you can get through this with financial reimbursement for economic and non-economic damages.
What Damages Can I Seek After a Tampa Drowning Death Accident?
If your child or loved one died in a Tampa drowning accident, your family could seek damage compensation for the following:
- harm and suffering your loved one experienced before their death
- Pain and suffering your family is experiencing in the aftermath
- End-of-life medical care
- Lost income
- Lost household services
- Loss of companionship
- Loss of parental guidance
- Funeral and burial costs
- Grief
Speak with a Tampa Drowning Death Attorney to accurately calculate all damages you are entitled to.
Contact a Tampa Drowning Death Attorney Today
We are so sorry for your loss and will do everything possible to make these times more bearable for you and your family.
Call us today for a free consultation. We can help you hold the negligent parties accountable and get you financial compensation to help you recover from such a tragic loss.
