The Haggard Law Firm’s Michael Haggard and Adam Finkel, along with local co-counsel Alicia Sieben of Schwebel, Goetz & Sieben and Abinasir Abdulahi of AMA Law Group, secured a $4.25 Million settlement in a drowning case.
As per the guidelines of the settlement, the names of the plaintiff(s) and defendant(s) are confidential. In May 2021, a 5-year-old boy was home with his brothers, sisters, and father, when he left his home in Dakota County, Minnesota. Unknown to his family, the boy walked about a half-mile away from his house, eventually arriving at an apartment complex. It was believed that the boy entered the main leasing building, walked to the back of a hallway, and gained access to an adjacent outdoor pool area.
Regardless of how he accessed the pool – whether through the building or by climbing the fence – he was able to gain access to their pool area, take off his clothes, and enter the pool. Unable to swim, the boy drowned. A community resident saw the boy’s body floating in the water and jumped in to rescue him. Although he attempted CPR and paramedics took the boy to the hospital, the child did not survive. He is survived by his siblings and parents.
A lawsuit was filed in Minnesota, against the management company that operated the apartment complex and pool. The complaint alleged the management company did not operate the pool in conformity with required safety codes, specifically those aimed to prevent childhood access to pools. The Haggard Law Firm and co-counsel argued the management company was liable for the child’s death.
The management company defended that it was unknown how the boy gained access to the pool, and the boy was missing for upwards of 30 minutes before the family even called the police. Highlighting the half-mile walk by the boy before arriving at the complex and the significant time that elapsed, the defense argued that the boy’s family was at fault. Further, the management company believes the boy entered through a “fire door” of the building, which could not be locked.
Ultimately, the matter settled for $4.25 Million Dollars.
The Haggard Law Firm has successfully represented the victims of near drownings and the family members of drowning victims across the country for decades. Our personal injury and wrongful death lawyers are focused on achieving justice for our clients and sparking change to help prevent drownings.
