Drowning Accidents

Choose A Firm With A History of Excellence

LET OUR TEAM FIGHT FOR YOU

Pennsylvania Drowning Accident Attorneys

Helping Clients Through Legal Fights Since 1888

For more than 130 years, Metzger Wickersham has been fighting legal battles for our clients in difficult situations, including for people who lost a loved one in a drowning accident. If your family’s future was forever changed by another party’s negligence that led to a drowning accident, let our team stand up for you. We will take your case to heart and pursue justice and compensation as if we were representing ourselves.

Our team can handle drowning accident claims involving drownings at:

  • Private swimming pools
  • Public swimming pools
  • Swimming pools in gyms and athletic centers
  • Lakes
  • Rivers
  • Other locations throughout Pennsylvania

Get more information about filing a drowning accident claim or lawsuit. Call (888) 286-2850 and request a FREE consultation with our Pennsylvania drowning accident lawyers.

Is a Drowning Accident Case Related to Premises Liability?

Drowning accident cases are typically considered to be premises liability cases because the liable party is often the party that owns or manages the body of water involved in the drowning. For example, if someone drowns in a public swimming pool, the municipality that manages the swimming pool might be liable. Or if a drowning occurs in a private swimming pool, the homeowner could be liable.

Not all drowning accident claims are related to premises liability, though. For example, a company that hosts boating tours on a lake could be liable if a guest suffers a drowning accident on a tour.

Negligence That Contributes to Drowning Accidents

Our Pennsylvania drowning accident attorneys can investigate the circumstances surrounding the drowning accident. We will look for evidence of negligence that contributed to drowning risks or directly caused the incident. Various forms of proof can be useful, like property safety records, eyewitness statements, and so on.

Based on our investigation, we might find that the drowning accident occurred due to a common form of negligence, such as:

  • Lack of lifeguards: Public and commercial swimming pools should keep lifeguards on duty or at least use clear signage that warns swimmers that no lifeguards are there to help in an emergency. If a swimming pool should have had lifeguards or failed to train lifeguards adequately, it could be the foundation of a drowning accident lawsuit.
  • Lack of barriers or gates: Safety barriers and gates should be installed around swimming pools that might be accessed by unattended children to prevent them from accidentally falling into the water.
  • Lack of life vests: On boats, ships, and other water vessels, life vests and life preservers should be readily available for everyone who boards.

Drowning Accidents & Attractive Nuisance Laws in PA

Pennsylvania has an attractive nuisance law that allows property owners to be held liable for injuries suffered by a trespassing child if there was something on the property that enticed the child to trespass. This law often comes up when considering cases in which a child is injured or drowns in a swimming pool that was located in a private backyard but was not secured with a gate or fence. In such a case, the argument can be made that the property owner reasonably should have known that any child nearby might want to see or swim in the pool, putting them at risk of a drowning accident, so the property owner should have been proactive about fencing off the pool.

The three most important details in an attractive nuisance-related drowning accident claim are:

  1. The injured party was a child or minor.
  2. The property owner reasonably should have known that a child would be enticed to enter their property.
  3. The property owner did not take reasonable steps to secure their property or the swimming pool.

What is a Near-Drowning Accident?

Drowning is not always fatal. It is possible for someone to respirate or inhale water and drown without passing away. When this happens, it is called “near-drowning,” and it is still extremely dangerous. Anyone who has suffered a near-drowning accident should receive emergency medical care.

Did you suffer a near-drowning accident in Pennsylvania? Our attorneys can help you file an injury claim, which will pursue slightly different damages than a drowning accident claim filed after a loved one fatally drowned.

Call Today to Request a Free Case Evaluation

Metzger Wickersham and our Pennsylvania drowning accident attorneys offer no-cost consultations to potential clients. If you want to know about your legal rights and options after someone in your family suffered a drowning accident on someone else’s property, we want to hear from you. We take pride in using our legal talents and knowledge to help people through difficult times while pursuing fair compensation and justice in their names.

Work with a team that genuinely cares about your well-being. Call (888) 286-2850 now.

Success Stories

A History of Happy Clients
  • "You guys have been more than kind and understanding and respectful to me. For that I am greatly appreciative. Thank you for everything you did and are doing."
    Donna S.
  • "My wife had been fighting SSI for over three years. Since working with Metzger Wickersham her stress and anxiety levels were 100% gone. They were always in communication with us, guiding us through ..."
    Carlos B.
  • "Everyone here was very helpful and worked very hard. I have nothing but good things to say about Metzger Wickersham. The team kept me well informed and updated at all times!"
    Thomas C.
  • "Being in an accident is overwhelming with injuries, loss of property, medical bills, and insurance hassles. I'm grateful for Metzger Wickersham's help during this trying time. The settlement results ..."
    Tanya W.
  • "Metzger Wickersham is the best. They helped us a lot and we made some great friends along the way. If you need a great group of lawyers, these are the people you want. They got all our medical bills ..."
    Kathy S.
  • "I was hurt in a bad accident and called Metzger Wickersham. Thankfully I did! They have been great, on top of things, and always doing their job well. Extremely pleased with my experience!"
    Kristen H.
  • "If you need help to right a wrong, I strongly recommend calling Metzger Wickersham. They took my case when others said I had none and found those responsible for my injury even after the moving ..."
    Tim K.
  • "I used Metzger Wickersham for a personal injury dog bite case. Attorney Love was great to work with and made the whole process smooth and painless. Everything was explained with detail, the team was ..."
    Jessica B.
  • "I thank you, Mr. Craig Love. You are a very honest person and explained every detail of my case."
    Elsie J.
  • "You all did a great job for me. You kept in contact with me through everything. I would recommend you to everyone."
    Ruth M.
  • "Thank you card from HHS KeyClub."
    HHS KeyClub
  • "I was involved in a car accident (not at fault), that seemed like it would be straightforward. The at-fault driver accepted fault and so did their insurance company. The problem was that they wanted ..."
    M.H.
  • "I worked with [Attorney] Zachary Campbell & [Paralegal] Tammy Dagrosa & they were AMAZING! They helped me win my case & handle my medical debt from my accident! Thanks to them, my daughter & I will be ..."
    Former Client
  • "I had never dealt with a personal injury firm before, but my neighbor recommended that I contact Metzger Wickersham because they used that firm and were happy with the results. I talked to them and ..."
    Erik R.
  • "Scholarship thank you card."
    Lizzie
  • "Thank you note from a former client."
    Brenda R.
  • "Thank you card from the Golf Classic event."
    Joe
  • "They did wonderful thank you so much."
    Dan C.
  • "Thank you note from a former client."
    Previous Client
  • "Thank you card from a former client."
    Former Client
  • "Thank you note from the Food Pantry."
    Food Pantry
  • "I am absolutely and completely impressed with this firm. Them adding attorney, Lori Painter, to the team was a smart decision. Lori went above and beyond for me during my SS disability appeal process ..."
    Kimberly B. D.
  • "I worked with Troy and he was wonderful. Thoughtful, caring, always was there when I needed explaining or answers. Thanks, Troy."
    Jeremy L.
  • "Our goal was accomplished!"
    Debbie K.
  • "Was a slow process because of the insurance company. They did a great job for me and got a good settlement! Better than I was expecting."
    Jerry C.
  • "I was beyond pleased with the way my case was handled. Each time I either called or emailed the office either [Attorney] Lori or [Paralegal] Kara responded quickly. I had many questions and I also ..."
    Matthew R.
  • "Based upon my experience with the intake associate and especially with Attorney Andrea Staub, I strongly recommend this business. I was recently the victim of a devastating automobile accident that ..."
    Donna S.
  • "When I was hit by a car while riding my bicycle in Nov, of 2021, I learned that having a lawyer would be important to making sure all of my expenses would be compensated by the driver’s insurance. I ..."
    Leonard Z.
  • "This firm goes above above and beyond for their clients. The process was unbelievably simple on my end and my atty kept me updated the entire time. Will use them again in future if ever necessary and ..."
    Alli G.
  • "[Attorney] Craig Love did a Great job for me"
    Jordan F.
  • "They kept me up to date on everything that was goin on with my case. Answered all my questions."
    Lori D.
  • "Very courtesy and understanding and helps you to the fullest therefore you anytime of the day to talk to you and answer your questions and I will use them again."
    Cindy R.
  • "Very happy with our experience would highly recommend them Thank you Zack Campbell"
    Diana B.
  • "They were great with communication and very helpful. I would highly recommend this firm to anyone and everyone!"
    Cheena W.
  • "[Paralegal] Emily kept up to date emailing and getting information and [Attorney] Cat did a wonderful job representing me and explained everything perfectly."
    Debra G.
  • "Troy was a pleasure to work with from the first day of meeting him to our last meeting. Troy always kept in touch even if it was just to say hello and see how I was. best lawyer!"
    Roxanne F.
  • "Metzger Wickersham’s [Attorney] Zach was so easy to work with. His professionalism is unmatched to any other attorney I have ever had to deal with. He always kept me informed on any new information ..."
    Cindy
  • "It is hard to express in words how grateful I am that I chose Metzger Wickersham to help me with my case. [Attorney] Andrea, [Paralegal] Shawn (Wilkes Barre Pa), [Attorney] Zach, [Paralegal] Melanie, ..."
    Patricia L.
  • "[Attorney] Zach and [Paralegal] Amber were beyond helpful. The attention to detail, constant communication and customer service is beyond appreciated. Would recommend to anyone that needs their help ..."
    Denise S.
  • "“My attorney and her team were wonderful. Very knowledgeable, understanding, and caring towards my needs during such a lengthy process. Would use again."
    Tracy O.
  • Client-Focused & Results Driven
    You are more than just a case number. At our firm, we treat our clients like family and ensure you get the recovery you deserve.
  • 24/7 Representation
    The minute you need us, we are here to help. When you can't visit us, we'll visit you, and when you need answers, we'll give you solutions.
  • Dedicated Team
    When you trust us with your case, you get a FULL team of dedicated and experienced attorneys working to solve your case.
  • Decades of Experience
    Our team has had our doors open for over 135 years and we have roots dating back to 1888.

Demand the Justice You Deserve

We Are Here to Help
  • Please enter your first name.
  • Please enter your last name.
  • Please enter your phone number.
    This isn't a valid phone number.
  • Please enter your email address.
    This isn't a valid email address.
  • Please make a selection.
  • Please enter a message.