330 Alhambra Circle

Coral Gables, FL 33134

633 S. Andrews Avenue Suite 400
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301

(305) 446-5700

(954) 323-4400

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Pool Safely Progam safety tips

Memorial Day weekend is the traditional start, nationally, to the summer swim season. The Haggard Law Firm is committed to sharing any and all information we can to help keep everyone safe in and around bodies of water.

A new report by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) shows the number of reported fatal child drownings in swimming pools involving children younger than 5—the most vulnerable population—has decreased 17 percent nationwide since 2010. Despite the decrease, fatal and non-fatal child drownings in pools and spas continue to pose a public health challenge across the United States.

Drowning remains the number 1 cause of death among children under the age of 5 in Florida. Parents and caregivers are reminded to follow

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Pool Fence Removed, 1 & 3 Year Old Drown

A family and entire community remains devastated days after a 1 and 3-year-old drowned in a Cape Coral (FL.) Apartment Complex pool. It was last Sunday night when rescue crews were called to the Aurora Townhouse Condos. The local news media reports that they father of the young children went to the second floor of their two story townhouse to use the restroom. When he returned downstairs he found the two young children floating in the pool.

Adding to the tragedy are reports that the pool’s perimeter fence had been moved earlier in the year and never replaced. A woman who identified herself to the NBC Affiliate covering the story says she had asked the homeowners association to replace the pool fence quickly. But no action was taken by the board. (Watch NBC 2 Report).

The Haggard Law Firm has advocated for improving pool safety measures nationally and has successfully litigated several cases involving missing or broken pool fences including the Loren Hinton case (Click to watch video on Pool Gate Safety and Hinton Case) . Michael Haggard, the Firm’s Managing Partner said of the recent drownings, “this is another tragedy that is heart-wrenching and should have never occurred. Layers of protection such as pool fences are critical in the prevention of child drowning. ”

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Swim Safety: Broken Pool Gates

May is National Swim Safety Month. The Haggard Law Firm wants to take this opportunity to share swimming safety tips, including those we have unfortunately have become experts on because of catastrophic injury cases we have litigated over the years. One example is the 2001 case of Loren Hinton. A 2-year old that suffered a significant brain injury when she fell into a residential complex pool after pushing over a broken safety gate.

This video details that case and includes safety factors to consider to make sure a tragedy like this does not happen again.

Click for more on Haggard Law Firm Pool Drowning Accidents