Son dies in apartment complex stream — wrongful death suit?

There are several factors that appeal to potential buyers and renters of real estate. For example, good schools, a fireplace and lots of good natural light help move a property quicker, as do pleasant grounds, such as a park or water nearby. One Louisiana family had no way of knowing that an apartment complex’s stream would eventually lead to a wrongful death suit.

The suit has been filed by a mother on behalf of her deceased son. Her son rented an apartment in a complex that had a stream running through it, which, from time to time, allegedly became overgrown with algae, shrubbery and grass. Reportedly there were no signs to warn residents or guests about the proximity of the stream to the path leading between the complex buildings, and there were allegedly no barriers to keep passersby from falling in. When the foliage was overgrown, that especially presented a problem.

On a day in September 2013, the woman’s son was found floating in the stream. His mother contends that the property owner, the property manager and the insurance group are all equally liable in this tragedy. Her suit accuses them of failing to maintain the property, failing to warn tenants of the danger and being negligent, among other things.

The mother is both the next of kin and administer of the man’s estate. The wrongful death suit she has filed in Louisiana claims damages for her son’s fatal injuries, along with her own loss of love and companionship, emotional distress and final expenses. The exact amount she is seeking was not immediately available. While no amount of financial compensation can fully alleviate her grief, it can relieve some of the strain brought on by the numerous bills she is now facing.

Source: The Louisiana Record, Wrongful death suit filed after tenant found dead in stream at apartment complex, Eliza Walker, Dec. 5, 2013