Wood River, Illinois Woman Suing for 4-Year-Old’s Drowning Death

A woman from Wood River, Illinois is suing the city following the wrongful drowning death of her four-year-old son.

According to a report in the Madison County Record, the lawsuit accuses the City of Wood River for creating unsafe conditions for children. The plaintiff’s child had walked through a tunnel and onto a spillway, where he slipped, fell, and was drowned in a retention pond. The suit contends that the city could have done more to prevent children from entering the tunnel, as children had been entering the same tunnel for years in order to swim in the retention pond.

The personal injury lawsuit, filed in Madison County Circuit Court, seeks damages for loss of society and mental anguish caused by the child’s untimely death, which allegedly could have been prevented by safer conditions. Six counts are included in the complaint for a total of $300,000 in damages sought.

Going for a swim may seem an innocent enough prospect for children. Yet statistics show that parents should be wary of allowing young children to swim or be near water without supervision. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that drowning is the leading cause of injury death for children ages 1 through 4.

Wrongful death is tragic enough when unforeseen circumstances caused by negligence cause death to adults. When children are involved, however, that situation becomes all the more tragic for parents having to bury their children.

The law office of Williamson, Webster, Falb & Glisson have successfully handled personal injury cases such as the one described against both city governments and private individuals. Attorneys Tom Falb and Mike Glisson have decades of combined experience fighting for damages compensation for their clients.

Our results and client testimonials speak for themselves. Contact us today for a free consultation. We are happy to discuss your case to learn whether we can help.