We are so sorry for the loss of your child. As one client whose child drowned in a swimming pool said, his family “mourned in excruciating pain” over the loss of his son. The case is discussed below, and you can read more, in the father’s own words, about how our law firm helped his family after his son drowned in a swimming pool. Attorney’s Tariq Miller and Eric Hageman lead our experienced pool injury and drowning legal team.
Family Whose Child Drowned in a Swimming Pool during Gym Class
“Pritzker Hageman attorneys proved that our son didn’t die by accident and our greatest relief was to watch these lawyers work and fight for our son.”Father whose son drowned in a School Pool
Eric Hageman and the pool safety attorneys at the Pritzker Hageman law firm represented the family of 12-year-old Abdullahi Charif, who was found unresponsive at the bottom of the St. Louis Park Middle School swimming pool. Two days later, he was removed from life support after being pronounced brain dead and died shortly thereafter.
This occurred during gym class. The teacher, who was not certified as a lifeguard, was the only adult present and our investigation found that he was looking at his iPad.
There were as many as 30 seventh graders in the class. Pool conditions, including lighting and water temperature, were not in compliance with Minnesota regulations.
They filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the school district.
Our clients wanted those responsible held accountable and to help effectuate changes in the law to help prevent other children from getting injured or killed while in a public pool.
You can call 1-888-377-8900 (toll free) or use the free consultation form below to contact attorneys Eric Hageman and Tariq Miller for your free consultation.
Abigail Taylor Pool Safety Act
Attorney Eric Hageman worked on the Abigail Taylor case. Six-year-old Abigail Taylor died as a result of injuries from a wading pool drain accident. As she sat on an open drain in the wading pool; the heavy suction at the drain caused her intestinal tract to be partially removed.
The Minnesota law, the Abigail Taylor Pool Safety Act, requires licensure and inspection of all public pools in the state, expanded the definition of public pools to include those connected with apartment buildings and town homes, some fitness centers, and more.
The law also requires owners to make immediate and future changes to ensure the safety of users. Owners may have received information by mail from the Minnesota Department of Health or a local health agency about requirements of the new law.
As a requirement of the law, public pool owners must provide information to the Minnesota Department of Health about their pools and the drain covers in order to renew or receive a license to operate. The drain covers must meet industry standards, be properly installed, and not be broken or loose.
Pool Drowning Statistics from the CDC
The CDC published statistics on drownings in the August 22, 2014 issue of MMWR:
- 3,961 deaths from unintentional drowning;
- The death rate for males was 2.05 per 100,000 population, almost four times the rate for females (0.52);
- Males aged 1–4 years had the highest rate (3.67); and
- Death rates for both genders increased with age after age 5–24 years.
Your Family Can Get Help after the Pool Death of Your Daughter or Son
You can contact our law firm for a free consultation with a child safety lawyer and our experienced pool drowning lawsuit legal team if your daughter or son drowned in a swimming pool or hot tub. If the facts of your case support a wrongful death lawsuit, you can sue the responsible school (yes, you can sue a school district for wrongful death), community center, or hotel.