Jury awards family $7.5 million over teen’s 2023 country club drowning in Hoover

A federal jury delivered a major verdict this Wednesday, awarding $7.5 million in punitive damages to the mother of Reginald Adams. The 18-year-old, a recent Pelham High School graduate, tragically passed away in 2023 following a drowning incident at a Hoover country club.

The Legal Battle

The family filed suit shortly after the tragedy against Heritage Golf Club, the firm operating Riverchase Country Club. According to the original reporting from 205focus.com, the lawsuit outlined that Adams was a guest at the club when he used a pool slide leading into 12 feet of water. Witnesses later discovered him submerged in the pool.

Adams suffered an anoxic brain injury during the incident and was pronounced dead on August 23, 2023, just weeks after his high school graduation.

Negligence and Accountability

Attorneys from Tobias Comer, representing the Adams family, successfully argued that Heritage Golf Club failed to adhere to mandatory public pool safety protocols. Specifically, the suit noted the club's failure to maintain two lifeguards in the designated lifeguard stands.

Following the jury's decision, attorney Desi Tobias emphasized the gravity of the verdict. "While no verdict can restore the life that Reginald lost or heal the tremendous pain endured by his family, this verdict sends a clear message that public safety rules exist for a reason and cannot be ignored without consequence," Tobias stated. "We are grateful that the jury carefully considered the evidence and held the defendant accountable."