More details are emerging about the tragic accident that claimed the life of 11-year-old Ahjzanae Triplett, a girl who has been called helpful and good-spirited.

Ahjzanae was collecting rocks outside her apartment with her brother and another child when she became trapped between the enclosed parking lot’s mechanical gate and its control box. She died of compressive asphyxia because she was wedged into such a tight space, according to a Lucas County deputy coroner.

There is still no indication of how the gate was activated or how she got stuck.

Wallick-Hendy Properties, the company that manages the apartment complex where the accident occurred, says this was the first accident involving an electric gate at one of its properties.

According to a quote from city Law Director Adam Loukx in the Toledo Blade, the city of Toledo has no liability in this accident because “the city does not own, control or operate the building.”

That same Toledo Blade article states that two girls in the United Kingdom were recently killed in similar accidents. Karolina Golabek, 5, and Semelia Campbell, 6, both lost their lives after becoming stuck in automatic gates.

Our Toledo, Ohio wrongful death lawyers want to stress that there are important steps that the family must take after this tragic accident. First, there needs to be a thorough investigation of the accident scene and all witnesses present. The easiest way to do this is to hire an attorney and allow them to use the experts and private investigators they consult on a daily basis to find out what really happened.

One of the issues in a wrongful death case is that the family wants answers to what happened. In order for them to go on with their lives, an investigation needs to be conducted. Using expert witnesses and private investigators will help find answers and provide closure for the family.

An attorney can also help the family navigate the confusing sea of paperwork, probate, and investigations that follow tragic accidents like these. Dealing with the logistics of a wrongful death case is nearly impossible when you are mourning the loss of a loved one.

Donations for Ahjzanae’s memorial service are being accepted at Key Bank branches.

Our Toledo, Ohio wrongful death lawyers were saddened to hear of the death of 11-year-old Ahjzanae Triplett over the weekend.

She was playing with her younger brother and another child near the mechanical gate of her Museum Place apartment when the gate opened and trapped her between it and its control box.

There is no sign so far of how the gate was activated, as no cars tried to enter or leave the parking lot around the time of the accident. The gate can be opened either by a car driving over a control pad or by a device similar to a garage door opener.

There is an electronic eye on the gate that can tell when there is an object in its path, but its position prevented it from detecting the girl.

Our thoughts are with her family at this difficult time.

Summer is the time when families can relax and head off to the pool. But before you and your children go swimming, make sure that you understand how to be safe in the water.

All pools, everything from small backyard inflatable pools to commercial water parks, are dangerous. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, as reported by Beasley Allen, there are about 300 pool and spa related deaths per year for children under 5 years old. The CPSC has come up with some tips to prevent drowning:

-Look in the Pool First: Precious time is often wasted looking for missing children anywhere but in the pool. Since every second counts, always look for a missing child in the pool or spa first. Be prepared for an emergency by having rescue equipment and a phone near the pool. Also, parents should learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

-Drowning is Silent: Parents may think that if their child falls in the water, they will hear lots of splashing and screaming, and that they will be able to come to the rescue. Many times, however, children slip under the water silently. Even people in the pool have reported hearing nothing out of the ordinary during drowning incidents.

If you or someone you know has lost a child to tragic circumstances, contact our office today to order your FREE copy of Little Kids, Big Accidents. Our Ohio child accident attorneys are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and we have six locations in northwest Ohio where we can meet with you – for free – to discuss your case.

Though it offers little consolation to people who have lost a child, our court system compensates the beneficiaries of a decedent by awarding money. Damages – the term used to refer to the various reasons for which financial compensation can be awarded – are available for the estate and to the beneficiaries.

The estate of the deceased child can be compensated for the medical bills incurred to treat the child prior to death and for the pain and suffering the child experienced as a result of the accident or wrongdoing.

Under state law, the following damages are available to the beneficiaries in all wrongful death cases, not just those involving children:

Loss of society – Under this category, beneficiaries can seek financial compensation for such things as the loss of companionship, care, assistance, protection, advice, guidance, and education provided by the decedent. Obviously, whether we’re talking about the death of a child or an adult, it is difficult to put a dollar figure on these types of damages because they’re not easily quantifiable. For instance, you can’t look in a book to find a dollar amount that would compensate a mom or dad deprived of the time and companionship they would have had with their deceased child. That’s the job of your attorney – to place a dollar amount on the loss of a child’s society and to justify that amount with a reasoned argument to a jury. Though it’s not readily quantifiable, it’s certainly a huge and legitimate loss to the beneficiaries – a loss for which they deserve to be compensated.

Mental anguish – Family members can be awarded compensation for the mental anguish they endured as a result of the loss of their loved one. Like loss of society, this may be a hard figure to quantify because there’s no formula for setting a dollar value on one’s pain stemming from the loss of a child. Nonetheless, it can account for a significant amount in a damages award because most people can relate to the grief experienced as the result of the death of a family member.

Making a case for mental anguish is similar to asking for pain and suffering damages in a routine personal injury case. Your Toledo, Ohio tragic accident attorney could ask the jurors to award money based on the anguish endured over a set time period such as months or years. Your lawyer may take a different approach by not suggesting a formula and simply asking the jurors to determine a fair figure to compensate family members for the mental anguish they’ve suffered.

If you or someone you know has lost a child to tragic circumstances, you need information. Order your FREE copies of The Ohio Wrongful Death Book and Little Kids, Big Accidents to learn your rights. Our attorneys are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and we have six locations in northwest Ohio where we can meet with you – for free – to discuss your case.

We represent Ohio personal injury clients from Toledo, Maumee, Delta, Port Clinton, Bowling Green, McClure, Napoleon, Helena, Fremont, Fostoria, Tiffin, Cygnet, North Baltimore, Ottawa, Findlay, Carey, Bryan, Sandusky, Swanton, Perrysburg, Grand Rapids, Waterville, Liberty Center, Portage, West Millgrove, Woodville, Genoa, Gibsonburg, Findlay, Risingsun, Deshler, Hamler, Oregon, Sylvania, Delta, Weston, Oak Harbor, Port Clinton, Clyde, Lorain, Ottawa Hills, Rossford, Millbury, Walbridge, Holland, Northwood, and Whitehouse. We also serve those who live in Lucas, Wood, Seneca, Lorain, Fulton, Erie, Hancock, and Sandusky Counties.

Swimming pools are very dangerous, especially for young children. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that you not put a swimming pool in your yard until your child is at least five years old.

TIPP, the injury prevention program of the American Academy of Pediatrics, has offered tips to protect your children from drowning:

8. A power safety cover that meets the standards of the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) may add to the protection of your children but should not be used in place of the fence between your house and the pool. Even fencing around your pool and using a power safety cover will not prevent all drownings.

NOTE: The AAP warns that teaching your child how to swim DOES NOT mean your child is safe in water.

If you or someone you know has lost a loved one to tragic circumstances, you need information. Order your FREE copy of The Ohio Wrongful Death Book to learn your rights. Our Ohio kids attorneys are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and we have six locations in northwest Ohio where we can meet with you – for free – to discuss your case.

We represent Ohio personal injury clients from Toledo, Maumee, Delta, Port Clinton, Bowling Green, McClure, Napoleon, Helena, Fremont, Fostoria, Tiffin, Cygnet, North Baltimore, Ottawa, Findlay, Carey, Bryan, Sandusky, Swanton, Perrysburg, Grand Rapids, Waterville, Liberty Center, Portage, West Millgrove, Woodville, Genoa, Gibsonburg, Findlay, Risingsun, Deshler, Hamler, Oregon, Sylvania, Delta, Weston, Oak Harbor, Port Clinton, Clyde, Lorain, Ottawa Hills, Rossford, Millbury, Walbridge, Holland, Northwood, and Whitehouse. We also serve those who live in Lucas, Wood, Seneca, Lorain, Fulton, Erie, Hancock, and Sandusky Counties.