$1 Million Settlement in Case Involving Grandfather Who Drowned During Grandson’s Birthday party
Ocala, Fla – BG Ocala Ranch has agreed to pay $1 Million to the family of an Ocala man who drowned during his 5-year-old grandson’s birthday party.
The family of the 66-year-old victim says the death of their family patriarch was entirely preventable. Children were terrified as adult partygoers performed CPR to the grandfather after he was found floating in the luxury event space home’s resort-style pool.
An investigation conducted by the family’s legal team revealed that the BG Ocala Ranch never should have been offering to customers the property as an event space. The Haggard Law Firm’s Jason Brenner and attorney L. Edward McClellan of McClellan & Batsel, discovered:
- the property was an unlicensed commercial operation conducting business on residential property. That including soliciting rentals for use of its water park
- the two “lifeguards” the part organizer, the victim’s daughter, paid BG Ranch for were not lifeguards, they were the husband and daughter of the property’s representatives
- the pool known as the “water park” was not up to code with problems that included no signage for diving, depth, safety makers, or ladders as required by Florida law. The pool’s water clarity was poor and should not have been open for use by anyone.
Brenner says “the family hopes the settlement will result in businesses who operate public swimming pools to verify they are in compliance with all applicable building and safety codes. They also hope it stands as a warning to the public to make sure a swimming area has all safety measures in place before using it. The family doesn’t want another family to have to endure the lifelong loss they will suffer.”
For decades, The Haggard Law Firm has been fighting for justice on behalf of families who have lost a loved one to a drowning and victims of near drownings. Haggard Law has successfully advocated for improvements to standard pool equipment. Click to learn more
