The parents of John Erlanson are seeking California wrongful death compensation from the Atascadero Unified School District. Erlanson, then 17, drowned on May 7, 2008 in the Atascadero High School swimming pool during a physical education class.
The 17-year-old was in the school's swimming pool during class when the teacher stepped away from the pool deck and left the pool without adult supervision. It was the teenager's fellow students who noticed that he was at the bottom of the pool. They swam down 12 feet to retrieve him.
It is unknown whether Erlanson, who was diagnosed with a seizure disorder years before, suffered a seizure before drowning. Some students say that while the teenager was in the pool's shallow end, he started to exhibit signs of someone who was about to have one.
The plaintiffs' wrongful death lawsuit accuses the school district of inadequate supervision, observation, staff training, and safeguards. Their injury attorney contends that because staffers knew that Erlanson suffered from a seizure disorder, they should have done more to protect him from becoming involved in a California drowning accident.
After Erlanson's death, the school district started working with the Red Cross to train high school students to become certified lifeguards that could supervise PE classes. The school district also updated its pool safety policy and got new safety equipment.
Schools are responsible for properly supervising students and making sure that there are no dangers or hazards on the school grounds that can cause serious injury or death. If your child was injured or died because school officials were reckless or negligent in any way, you may reason for filing an Orange County, California personal injury case.
Parents of teen who died in Atascadero High School pool sue school district, SanLuisObispo.com, June 11, 2010
AHS junior drowns Wednesday, Atascadero News, May 8, 2008
Related Web Resources:
Atascadero Unified School District
