- Posted July 04, 2014
- Tweet This | Share on Facebook
Lifeguard can be sued in student's drowning
HASTINGS, Mich. (AP) - The Michigan appeals court says the family of a young man who drowned at a state-run school can sue the lifeguard.
William Beals had been at the Michigan Career and Technical Institute for a week when he drowned in a pool in 2009. Students with disabilities learn vocational skills at the school in Barry County.
Witnesses say lifeguard William Harmon seemed distracted that day while talking to girls and playing with a football. The 19-year-old Beals was considered a good swimmer, but he didn't emerge from the deep end of the pool.
The appeals court, in a 2-1 decision, agrees with a local judge who says allegations of gross negligence mean the lifeguard isn't entitled to governmental immunity.
Appellate Judge Peter O'Connell dissented, saying the lifeguard isn't to blame.
Published: Fri, Jul 04, 2014
headlines Oakland County
- Bench/Bar Conference
- Whitmer signs bipartisan bills to support the education and safety of Michigan Children, other legislation
- Attorney general decries latest DTE electric rate hike request
- Federal judges approve redraw of Detroit-area state House seats ahead of 2024 election
- Local moot court team impresses at ABA National Advocacy Competition
headlines National
- 50 Years of Service: ABA has been a ‘stalwart ally’ for LSC funding
- ACLU and BigLaw firm use ‘Orange is the New Black’ in hashtag effort to promote NY jail reform
- Biden recalls time he bluffed knowledge of torts case and why he changed his mind about civil-trial work
- Lawyers’ ‘barrage of personal attacks’ on opponents started with tissue-box toss, appeals court says
- Longtime prosecutor resigns after judge tosses him from case, citing Perry Mason-type revelations
- 24% of law students expect to work in public service, survey says