Drowning Attorney in San Antonio

Legal Help After A Drowning Or Near-Drowning Accident

Drownings and near-drowning accidents happen in seconds, and the effects can change a family forever. You may be facing the loss of a loved one or caring for someone with serious brain damage or other lasting injuries. In this painful moment, you might also be wondering if the incident could have been prevented.

At Marc LaHood Law, we help those affected by drownings and near-drownings seek answers and accountability. We listen to your story, explain your options in plain language, and guide you through each step so you do not have to face this alone. Your consultation is free and confidential and, for all personal injury cases, you do not pay us unless we win.

Our firm is led by Attorney Marc LaHood, a highly skilled trial lawyer with deep roots in this community. The LaHood family has served San Antonio since 1967, and our name is known in Bexar County courtrooms. When water safety is ignored and families are hurt, we work to bring the responsible parties to justice.

If you nearly drowned or if someone you love drowned, and you believe someone else is to blame, contact us now at (210) 714-2625 for a free consultation.

Why Families Turn To Our Firm

Drownings are devastating events. Survivors and their families deserve answers, accountability, and advocacy. You need more than just legal knowledge; you need a team that will stand beside you with strength and compassion. These cases often involve complex facts, powerful insurance companies, and difficult questions about what really happened at a pool, waterpark, apartment complex, or public swimming area. Our role is to shoulder that burden so you can focus on your family.

For generations, the LaHood family has been part of the fabric of San Antonio. When it comes to complex personal injury cases, like drownings and near-drownings, that history matters. We understand how Bexar County courts operate, we know the procedures, and we have spent years in front of local judges. When we walk into a courtroom, we bring a reputation built on decades of serving families in San Antonio and beyond.

We Do What It Takes for Our Clients

At Marc LaHood Law, we prepare every personal injury case as if it will go to trial. After a drowning or near-drowning accident, we are ready to stand up to apartment owners, hotel companies, property managers, and their insurers when they deny responsibility. Our team has successfully taken on major insurance companies and defense teams, and our goal is always to pursue the full and fair compensation our clients are entitled to under the law.

Just as important, we treat every client like family, not just another case. We know you are grieving and potentially caring for someone who has suffered a terrible injury. The future is uncertain, and that can feel overwhelming. As your San Antonio drowning accident attorney, Marc LaHood remains accessible and responsive, keeping you updated on what is happening with your case and providing honest insights every step of the way. At Marc LaHood Law, integrity is not simply a slogan. It's how we practice law every single day.

Who Is Responsible for a Drowning Accident?

Many families are told that a drowning was simply a tragic accident. In our experience, however, there are often warning signs that were ignored or safety rules that were not followed. Pools, waterparks, and other places where people swim carry known risks, and the people and businesses that manage those spaces have specific duties when it comes to keeping them reasonably safe.

Property owners and managers may be required to: 

• Ensure pools and other swimming areas are adequately fenced or gated off, with working latches and locks to keep these areas secure
• Provide sufficient warnings, such as “no lifeguard on duty signs," information on maximum pool capacity, and “wet floor” signs on pool decks
• Properly maintain pools, decks, and other areas by removing or warning of known hazards, keeping water clean and unclouded, and making necessary repairs 
• Hire qualified lifeguards and ensure that they are properly trained, post CPR how-to signage, and provide life rings or other safety equipment 

Serious incidents can occur at apartment or neighborhood pools, hotel pools, community or school facilities, waterparks, and private homes. Examples of safety failures may include broken or unsecured gates, lack of required fencing, missing or unclear depth markings, cloudy water that makes swimmers hard to see, or lifeguards who are not present or not paying attention. In some situations, children are able to access a pool because a lock or barrier is defective.

When a property owner or operator does not take reasonable steps to prevent predictable dangers, Texas premises liability and negligence laws may allow families to pursue a claim. Responsibility can sometimes involve more than one party, such as a property management company, a contractor that installed pool equipment, or a childcare provider that failed to supervise. Every drowning or near-drowning has its own facts, and part of our work is to carefully review what happened before, during, and after the incident.

You may be unsure whether anyone is legally at fault. That is normal. We encourage families to reach out to our firm so that we can review the circumstances of the incident. Our goal is to help you understand whether safety rules were violated and what legal options may exist.

How Drownings & Near-Drownings Happen

Drownings and near-drownings are terrible tragedies, and they are rarely purely accidental. Instead, many contributing factors often play a role.

Common factors that may contribute to drowning incidents include:

• Lack of supervision around pools or other water areas
• Broken, missing, or easily opened gates and fences
• Absence of required warning signs or depth markers
• Inadequate or distracted lifeguard coverage
• Overcrowded pool areas or poorly controlled events
• Defective drains, covers, or other pool equipment
• Failure to secure access to pools used by children

Drownings don't just occur in pools, lakes, or places where people go specifically to swim. Children can fall into fountains, wells, or other places where water isn't securely gated or fenced off. These incidents can result in tragedy, and they should be investigated to determine whether they could have—and should have—been prevented.

What To Do After A Drowning or Near-Drowning

In the first hours and days after a drowning or near-drowning, you may feel overwhelmed and unsure where to turn. There is no perfect roadmap for such a painful event, but certain steps can help protect your loved one’s health and your legal rights. You can move through these at your own pace with support from trusted family, medical providers, and advisers.

Your first priority is always medical care. Even if a person seems to have recovered from being pulled from the water, near-drowning can cause serious complications, including brain and lung injuries. Follow doctors’ recommendations, attend follow-up appointments, and keep copies of medical records and bills. If you have lost a loved one, funeral and burial arrangements and caring for those who are grieving will naturally come first.

As things begin to settle, it is helpful to gather information about what happened. If it is safe and appropriate, photos or videos of the pool or water area, gates, locks, signage, and conditions can become valuable evidence later. Accident reports or police reports, along with contact details for witnesses or property staff, can also help clarify how and why the drowning occurred.

Insurance representatives or property managers may reach out quickly and ask for recorded statements or signatures. Before agreeing to anything, it is wise to understand how those statements could affect a potential claim. When you speak with our team, we explain in clear terms what each step might mean for you and your family.

Helpful steps to consider after a drowning or near-drowning include:

• Prioritize emergency and follow-up medical care for the injured person
• Request copies of incident, police, or emergency response reports
• Take photos of the pool or water area, including gates and warning signs
• Write down what you remember about the events leading up to the incident
• Keep medical bills, funeral expenses, and related financial records together
• Avoid detailed statements to insurers or property owners before knowing your rights
• Contact a drowning lawyer in San Antonio to review your options

How Our San Antonio Drowning Lawyer Can Help

When you contact Marc LaHood Law, we begin by listening to your story, understanding your challenges, and providing the basic information you need to decide what to do next. In your free consultation, we typically ask you to share what you know about the drowning or near-drowning, the injuries or losses involved, and any documents you already have. We then outline potential paths forward and answer your questions in everyday language, not legal jargon.

Next, we investigate the incident in detail. That can involve reviewing accident reports and medical records, examining photos or videos from the scene, and evaluating relevant safety rules or industry standards for the type of property involved. We look at who controlled the pool or water setting, what safeguards should have been in place, and whether those safeguards appear to have failed or been ignored.

We can evaluate possible claims for wrongful death or serious injury and discuss them with you openly. We do not make empty promises, and we explain both the strengths and potential challenges so you can make informed decisions. Throughout this process, we stay in touch, respond to your calls and messages, and make sure you know what to expect at each stage.

When we pursue a drowning case, we prepare it as if Bexar County civil courts will ultimately decide the outcome. That careful preparation often improves our ability to negotiate with insurance companies and defendants. If a fair resolution cannot be reached, our trial-ready stance means we are equipped to present your story clearly and effectively in court.

For personal injury clients, including those with drowning and near-drowning cases, we work on a contingency fee basis. This means you do not pay attorney fees unless we successfully recover compensation for you. We believe this approach aligns our interests with yours and allows San Antonio families access to quality legal representation, even during a financial crisis.

Drowning Injury FAQ

How do I know if I Have a drowning Injury case?

The only way to know for sure is to have the facts reviewed by a professional legal team. Our drowning injury lawyer in San Antonio can look at where the drowning happened, who controlled the property, and what safety measures were in place. If safety rules were ignored or duties were breached, there may be grounds for a claim.

How Much Does a San Antonio Drowning Accident Lawyer Cost?

At Marc LaHood Law, we do not charge any upfront or out-of-pocket legal fees for personal injury cases. We begin with a free, confidential consultation, and if we take your case, you do not pay attorney fees unless we win. We explain our fee structure clearly at the start so there are no surprises later.

What happens during the free consultation?

During your consultation, we listen to your story, review any documents you have, and ask questions to understand what happened. Then we explain possible legal options and answer your questions. There is no obligation to move forward, and everything you share is kept confidential.

How long do drowning cases usually take?

Each case is unique, and the amount of time it takes to resolve a drowning accident claim depends on many factors. This includes the overall complexity of the case, the severity of the injuries, and how defendants and insurers respond. Some cases resolve in negotiations, while others proceed to court. We can discuss typical timelines for your type of case and keep you updated as things progress.

Will your team keep me updated on my case?

Yes. We keep clients informed at each key step. Our team responds quickly to calls and messages, explains what is happening in plain terms, and lets you know what, if anything, we need from you. Our goal is to make sure that you never feel left in the dark about your case.

Talk To Our Drowning Accident Attorney in San Antonio

You do not have to face the aftermath of a drowning or near-drowning accident on your own. Legal action cannot undo what happened, but it can help secure resources for medical care, long-term support, and financial stability after a devastating loss or life-changing injury.

At Marc LaHood Law, we bring generations of legal service to this community, a trial-ready approach, and a commitment to honesty and compassion. Your initial consultation is free and confidential. For personal injury cases, you do not pay attorney fees unless we win. When you are ready to talk, we are ready to listen.

Call (210) 714-2625 to speak with our team today.