A near-drowning can leave a child with catastrophic brain injury requiring lifelong care; a fatal drowning takes everything. Drowning remains the leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 4 nationwide, and Florida leads the U.S. in unintentional child drownings for that age group. Silva & Silva brings complex-litigation experience to Fort Lauderdale pool cases — establishing how the barrier, supervision, or maintenance failure happened and who is legally responsible. There are no fees unless we recover.

Swimming Pool Negligence Lawyers

in Ft Lauderdale, FL

Swimming Pool Negligence Attorneys
Serving Ft Lauderdale, FL

Not every pool accident involves a drowning — drain entrapment can trap a swimmer underwater without warning, causing death or permanent injury; defective diving boards can collapse under a swimmer; pool chemical imbalances can cause severe burns; and improperly secured pool decks create slip and fall hazards. Silva & Silva’s swimming pool negligence attorneys evaluate every theory of liability in pool accident cases throughout Broward County and South Florida, ensuring that every responsible party — the pool owner, the equipment manufacturer, the property manager — is identified and pursued. Call today for a free consultation. If a pool drowning, near-drowning, or diving injury at a Fort Lauderdale hotel, resort, or residential complex caused serious harm, Silva & Silva is ready to help.

Drowning & near-drowning brain injury claims
Slip and fall accidents at pools & pool decks
Diving board & pool equipment injuries
Drain entrapment & suction entrapment accidents
Inadequate fencing & pool barrier violations
Child drowning & inadequate supervision claims
Hotel, resort & apartment complex pool accidents
Defective pool equipment & chemical injuries

Immediate Case Evaluation

Pool cases turn on physical evidence that changes fast — gates get fixed, signs go up, fences appear overnight. That is why it matters to document the Fort Lauderdale property as close to its accident-day condition as possible: under Florida’s pool-safety laws, a claim can turn on which safety features were in place, and working, that day.

Who Is Liable for a Swimming Pool Accident in Fort Lauderdale?

Florida’s Residential Swimming Pool Safety Act (Chapter 515, Florida Statutes) requires a new residential pool to include at least one approved safety feature to pass final inspection, because the law treats unsupervised pool access as a known, preventable danger. A barrier is one of those options, and it must meet all of the detailed requirements of section 515.29 — among them a height of at least four feet and gates that open outward and are self-closing and self-latching. Property owners who fail those requirements, and businesses that fail to maintain safe premises for guests, can be held liable for drownings and near-drownings. Florida’s attractive-nuisance doctrine may extend a property owner’s liability to a trespassing child, depending on the facts and on whether every element of the doctrine is met — among them, that the owner knew or should have known children were likely to trespass, that the condition posed an unreasonable risk of death or serious harm, and that the child, because of youth, did not discover the condition or realize the risk. Public and community pools carry their own regulatory duties. Claims arising in Fort Lauderdale, when properly venued in Broward County, are generally filed in the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit. Injury lawsuits over $50,000 with Broward County venue are heard at the Broward County Central Courthouse, 201 S.E. 6th Street, Fort Lauderdale; claims that qualify for federal jurisdiction may proceed in the Southern District of Florida, Fort Lauderdale Division.

How Long Does a Family Have to File a Pool Accident Claim in Florida?

Negligence claims accruing after March 24, 2023 generally must be filed within two years (section 95.11(5)(a), Florida Statutes). A wrongful-death claim runs two years from the date of death and is brought by the decedent’s personal representative on behalf of the survivors — Florida law does not allow family members to file separately. Injury claims for a surviving child involve their future care needs, which demands early, careful case development.

What Should Families Do After a Pool Accident in Fort Lauderdale?

Emergency care comes first. Many of the most serious injuries in Fort Lauderdale are treated at Broward Health Medical Center, the city’s Level I trauma center. As soon as the family is able, preserve the scene: photograph the pool area, the gate and latch condition, any missing barriers or warning signs, and get names of witnesses and complex or hotel staff. Request that the property preserve all surveillance video in writing. Do not give recorded statements to the property’s insurance carrier before speaking with an attorney. Silva & Silva meets with families at no cost, in English or Spanish, and explains every legal option — including how Florida’s pool-safety statutes apply to your case.

If your family is facing a drowning or near-drowning in Fort Lauderdale, you deserve answers about what happened and whether a safety failure played a role. Call Silva & Silva at 305-445-0011 for a free, compassionate consultation — no fees unless we recover for your family.

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