(Newswire.net — December 26, 2014) Philadelphia, PA — Ginsburg & Associates recently reached a confidential settlement in the case of a young boy who drowned in a hotel swimming pool. The boy was with a friend at the time, and the friend’s father, was supposed to watch over them. However, the friend’s father became distracted by a cell phone conversation, which resulted in the drowning.
The case was filed against both the friend’s father and the hotel. The former was sued for neglecting the children. Children are particularly vulnerable to drowning. Hotels are not necessarily required to have a lifeguard on the premises. However, the hotel was sued because it lacked the proper procedures to ensure that children in the pool would be safely monitored.
The Issue of Premises Liability
Property owners are expected to ensure a certain level of safety for those on their premises. The exact requirements vary from case to case. In general, there should not be any elements that might cause accident or injury. Examples of such elements include broken railings, damaged or uneven sidewalks and exposed wiring, among others.
Businesses like hotels must also consider security. Should the premises pose any kind of risk to visitors, the owner must take steps to address them. It is in this area that the hotel was determined to be negligent.
Drowning and Negligence
In this case, the drowning occurred in part because of a caretaker’s negligence. A child should never be left unsupervised when in or near a body of water. Drowning is often silent, so an adult must be watching at all times. Water safety is essential.
This also applies to properties that have water facilities such as ponds or swimming pools. The hotel, in this case, lacked procedures for dealing with potential problems in the pool. This negligence contributed to the child’s death.
The Law and Personal Injury
This tragic case illustrates the role played by personal injury law firms such as Ginsburg & Associates. The idea behind litigation is to ensure that those who abrogate their responsibilities will still be held accountable.