Michael A. Haggard, William Andrew "Andy" Haggard, Jeannete C. Lewis and Douglas J. McCarron The Haggard Law Firm, P.A. 330 Alhambra Circle Coral Gables, FL 33134 305-446-5700 fax: 305-446-1154 Send Us an E-mail

P O O L  D R O W N I N G    AC C I D E N T S Drowning is the leading cause of death for young children in Florida and many other states. Thousands of children have died or suffered serious brain damage because of defective pool gates and fences, defective pumps and defective drains in pools. While we have represented families in cases dealing with various safety lapses, the issue of ill-maintained pool gates and fences are a particular concern to us, because so many children drown here in South Florida every year. We at The Haggard Law Firm have developed a national and international niche representing people injured or killed as a result of dangerous swimming pool drains and negligent supervision and maintenance of pool safety barriers. We have gained notoriety in this area of personal injury law by winning two jury trials that resulted in two verdicts in excess of $100 million each. In January 2003, our firm won a $100 million verdict in the case of a toddler who nearly drowned in her apartment complex pool because she gained access to the pool area through a broken pool gate (Hinton v. 2331 Adams Street Corp). In August 2003, the firm made history again by attaining a $104 million verdict in a case where a boy got trapped underwater by the suction of a defective and unsafe pool pump (Peterson v. Sta-Rite). Both verdicts are considered to be the largest in Florida’s history. Our attorneys also strive for tightened safety rules for pools in homes, apartments and hotels. Our work representing victims has spurred changes in state codes and laws governing pool safety. Representing victims of drowning accidents in pools and in swim parks is a significant concern in national and international jurisdictions. Successful outcomes for the families we represent can go a long way toward protecting children and families in the future, both in the United States and abroad. Other noteworthy pool drowning accident cases our firm has successfully tried include: PETERSON v. SEGAL and ALL FLORIDA POOLS $7 Million – Settlement Swimming pool drain entrapment / negligence. A 14- year old boy got his arm sucked into a pool drain while swimming with friends in a North Miami apartment complex pool. The drain cover was ill-maintained and became loose. The incident left him with permanent brain damage. The victim’s family sued the apartment complex owner and the pool maintenance company. The case was settled for $7 million. This case was a signature case for the reform of pool laws and the case was tried to verdict against the remaining defendant, Sta-Rite Industries. JOHN DOE v. XYZ RESORT $7 Million – Settlement Swimming pool drain entrapment / Wrongful death. A 12-year-old boy drowned in a pool at a Caribbean resort when he was sucked head first into an intake pipe at the bottom of the resort’s giant lagoon-like pool. The company that owned the resort was negligent because they did not maintain the safety grid that was supposed to be covering the pipe. TOUSSAINT v. OAK CREST APARTMENT $690,500.00 – Settlement Pool drowning/Unsafe barrier. A two-year old boy drowned in his apartment complex pool due to the negligence and carelessness set forth by the apartment complex owners by not having a properly maintained self-latching and self-closing gate and proper fencing around the pool area. This recovery was awarded to the boys mother. For more information, check Internet pool safety links at: National Swimming Pool Foundation U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission Other Swimming Pool Safety Links Home | Int'l Cases | FAQS | Anatomy of Your Case Notable Cases | International Cases | Legal Links | Contact | Site Map NOTE: A person should base his or her choice of attorney on more than just a brochure, website, individual cases mentioned, or dollar amounts obtained. We welcome you to check our references with other lawyers and judges in this community.