Marietta Woman Walks for First Time in Years at Her Wedding
A Marietta woman who was paralyzed in a swimming pool accident was able to walk at her wedding last week, according to ABC News. The bride, Jacqui Goncher, suffered paralysis from the neck down after jumping into a friend’s pool in 2008 when she was 17. Although doctors gave her zero chance of recovering the use of her legs, physical therapy and exercise eventually allowed her to stand for short periods of time. Her low blood pressure prevented her from standing for more than 30 minutes. Not only was she able to walk down the aisle, but she danced with her groom at her wedding reception. It was the first time Goncher and her husband had ever danced together.
Goncher Was A High School Athlete Before Injury
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that before Goncher suffered paralysis from her pool accident, she was a high school athlete, playing on a fast-pitch softball team. But after the accident in her friend’s pool, she was trapped in a wheelchair for years. Friends and family were deeply moved to see Goncher dance at her wedding reception after years of disability. Photographs commemorating the occasion went viral over social media and found their way into newspapers across the world.
Georgia Law Holds Property Owners Responsible for Keeping Guests Safe
It’s a miracle that Mrs. Goncher was able to recover so much of her strength, but even now she suffers from a serious disability. Whenever someone loses the use of their limbs from an accident on someone else’s property, we have to ask whether or not the owner was liable for negligence. In Georgia, property owners are responsible for taking reasonable care to prevent injuries to their guests. That means repairing any dangerous problems on the property and making sure to warn their guests of any potential dangers. If the property owner fails to take reasonable care to fix potential dangers or warn their guests to avoid them, and this failure leads to an injury, then the property owner may be liable for the injury in a negligence lawsuit.
Goncher’s High School Host May Have Been Liable for Negligence
In Mrs. Goncher’s case, was her high school friend’s family responsible for her injuries? Although reports give few details of the accident that left Goncher bound to a wheelchair, we can imagine several situations that might have made her host liable. First, it’s possible that the pool was in a dangerous condition when Goncher jumped in. For example, if the level of the water in the pool was too low, and this led to Goncher’s injury, the property owner might be liable.
More likely, the pool was simply not deep enough to allow for safe diving. In that case, the property owner has a duty to their guests to warn them not to attempt to dive into the pool. If they don’t, and a diving guest injures themselves, then the owner might be liable for negligence. Another possibiity is that Goncher’s jump went wrong due to the conditions around the pool. Slippery deck surfaces could make a diving guest slip and strike their body against the edge of the pool, leading to serious injuries. If the host failed to take reasonable steps to keep the deck safe, or failed to warn their guests about the dangers of slipping, then the host might be liable for Goncher’s injuries.
Get Legal Help
If you or someone you know has suffered an injury on someone else’s property, you need legal advice. Get in touch with a premises liability lawyer at Williams Elleby Howard & Easter in Cobb County today to get the compensation you deserve.
