Swimming pools have become an extremely popular source of entertainment and recreational fun, especially in the summertime months. Unfortunately, swimming pools can also be dangerous, particularly for small children who are especially vulnerable to suffering injuries in and around the pool area. In fact, children ages one to four have the highest drowning rates in the United States, most of which occur in residential swimming pools. By taking the appropriate precautions to avoid unsafe swimming pool surroundings, pool owners can prevent injuries caused by accidents like slip and falls and drownings. If you or your child has been injured in a swimming pool accident, caused by a pool owner’s failure to provide a safe environment, you are not at fault. Contact a swimming pool accident attorney today to discuss your legal options, as you may have grounds to file a swimming pool accident lawsuit against the liable owner.
There are a number of measures that can be taken by both swimmers and pool owners in order to prevent dangerous conditions and avoid swimming pool accidents and injuries. Two of the most common causes of swimming pool accidents are lack of supervision and lack of security. All children in and around the pool area should be adequately supervised at all times. Even adults should only swim when there is another person nearby, including a lifeguard or another adult. If an accident should occur, the likelihood of an unsupervised person suffering life-threatening injuries or even death is much higher than if another adult is near enough to help. As far as security is concerned, all swimming pool owners should install a four-sided fence around their pool immediately after installation, in order to prevent small children from gaining access to the pool area without supervision.
Some of the most common causes of swimming pool injuries are accidents like slip and falls or drownings. When children and adults are enjoying themselves in the swimming pool area, it is common for accidents to occur due to conditions like a wet pool deck, slippery stairs and ladders, or dangerous play. The most common and dangerous injuries sustained when playing in and around a pool area include broken bones, lacerations, concussions, traumatic brain injuries, and fatal drowning. According to national statistics, approximately 300 children under the age of five die from swimming pool-related accidents each year, and 2,000 more young children are hospitalized for submersion injuries.
If you have a swimming pool on your property, you are responsible for maintaining the pool area and installing the proper security components in order to prevent unnecessary swimming pool accidents and injuries. Besides installing a four-sided isolation fence, pool owners are also encouraged to install additional pool safety mechanisms like automatic door locks or an alarm system to prevent unauthorized and unsupervised pool access. If a person is injured while using a swimming pool and the pool owner failed to take the appropriate steps to ensure a safe pool environment, the owner may be liable for the injuries sustained and the medical bills resulting from treating those injuries. In order to prove owner accident liability, victims should take a photograph of the scene of the accident, medical and insurance records should be collected, and witness statements should be recorded and handed over to an experienced swimming pool accident liability attorney.
If you or your child has been injured in a swimming pool accident, you may have grounds to file a swimming pool accident lawsuit against the pool owner in order to collect financial compensation for the injuries sustained and the cost of seeking proper medical care. The process of establishing owner accident liability in the case of a swimming pool accident can be complicated, but with the help of a swimming pool accident attorney, you can be sure that the appropriate party will be held liable for the injuries incurred by you or your child. Contact a swimming pool accident lawyer today to discuss your legal options.