Parents of Student Who Drowned in FGCU Campus Lake File Lawsuit
The Jacksonville wrongful death attorneys at Farah & Farah have found out that the parents of a Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) student are suing the school for wrongful death in the June 2011 drowning death of their son in a campus lake.
The 21-year-old student had been swimming in Lake Como with several friends at night when he drowned. Reportedly, he could not swim and got caught beneath a water trampoline that is in the campus swimming area of the lake. His friends were not able to pull him out before he drowned. An autopsy revealed he had no drugs or alcohol in his system at the time of the tragic accident.
According to Naples News, the lawsuit alleges that the university was negligent because it should have monitored the beach using video surveillance and was obligated to provide security patrols to keep students away from the lake after hours. The suit goes on to claim that the university also had a responsibility to post warning signs on the beach.
Wink News reports that the lake was shut down for nearly a year after the incident while the university made renovations and improvements to the area. Allegedly, this was done in direct response to the drowning. An FGCU spokeswoman told Naples News that campus security now patrols the lake, but there is still no 24-hour guard.
Since FGCU is a public university, it is subject to sovereign immunity laws, and a court could limit damages to $200,000. The parents are seeking $15,000 for wrongful death and an unspecified amount for pain and suffering.
The university has filed a motion for dismissal and has refused to comment any further on the pending litigation.
Do you believe you have lost a loved one due to the negligence of another person or institution? Call the law firm of Farah & Farah at (800) 533-3555 or contact us online to see if you have might have a legitimate wrongful death case. Our experienced team understands what you are going through and will pursue your claim with the compassion and tenacity it deserves.
