There are several common dangers and injuries associated with pools, such as drowning; suffering a spine, brain, or neck injury from diving in shallow water; or fracturing a bone slipping and falling around the pool. According to Pool Safely, a public education campaign from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), drowning is in fact the leading cause of unintentional death in children between the ages of 1 and 4 years old. Additionally, some other common injuries at a pool may include torn ligaments, concussions, lacerations, and more.
The CPSC has also released data that highlights the pressing issue across the U.S. involving child drownings. They found that on average, 379 reported pool-or-spa-related fatal drownings occurred each year between 2015 and 2017. Injuries from a diving accident can be equally devastating resulting in brain damage, paralysis, or other spinal damage.
What You Need to Know About Drowning and its Risk Factors
According to one statistic released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are 10 deaths every day in America due to unintentional drowning, and “one in five people who die from drowning are children 14 and younger.” Drowning has also been identified by the CDC as the fifth leading cause of unintentional injury death in America.
Nonfatal drownings can cause damaging side effects on victims, such as brain damage. This type of injury can result in long-term disability—or even memory loss in some victims.
The CDC released seven main risk factors for drowning, which include:
- A lack of swimming ability
- No barriers to prevent unsupervised water access
- No close supervision while swimming
- The pool’s location
- No life jackets
- Alcohol consumption
- Seizure disorder
Pool Safety Tips to Keep in Mind
Pool Safely created a variety of guidelines and tips to help prevent a future accident at a pool from happening. The campaign includes suggestions to protect your loved ones if you or your family are looking to install a residential pool or hot tub.
These tips include:
- Always monitoring small children near or in water so they are always in sight and never left alone
- Enroll younger swimmers into swimming classes so they can safely learn how to swim on their own
- Inform children about the dangers of swimming pool drains, as the drains or their suction openings can catch onto the child’s hair, limbs, and bathing suit while keeping them submerged underwater
- Check to see if drain covers are properly covered at all times before entering your own pool or a public pool
- Install covers, barriers, alarms, or fencing around your pool so small children do not have easy access to your pool
- Learn CPR in the event that a small child is found drowning
Some municipalities mandate that lifeguards must be present during operating hours. If a lifeguard is not mandated where you live, avoid swimming in public pools where you and your family cannot be monitored. You should always keep the worst-case scenario in mind, even when simply having fun.
People at a public pool with a lifeguard can still suffer injuries from an accident due to understaffing or from the negligence of the lifeguard. Property owners may also be at-fault for injuries that occur at a pool when they are located at a private dwelling, hotel, resort, apartment, condo, etc. It is the property owner’s duty of care and responsibility to keep a pool area safe in order to avoid any injuries from occurring at their location.
You Can Pursue Compensation for Death or Other Serious Injury While Using a Pool
If you or a loved one sustained a serious injury or died as the result of negligence in the operation or maintenance of a pool, you have the right to bring a claim for personal injury or wrongful death to seek financial compensation for all damages sustained. Our lawyers can help you determine what damages you can seek, and from whom you can seek such damages.
Generally, you may be entitled to monetary compensation for the following:
- Pain and suffering for all physical and emotional injuries
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Reimbursement for medical bills and other costs
- Lost wages
- Any other out-of-pocket expenses caused by the injuries
- The loss of Spousal and Parental income and support
Call Dansker & Aspromonte Associates LLP Today to Begin a Free Consultation
If you or a loved one was injured at a pool due to someone else’s negligence, contact the lawyers at Dansker & Aspromonte Associates LLP. We have been fighting for injury victims since 1988. Don’t delay. Evidence that is necessary to build a strong case may be lost if you wait.
Additionally, there are time limitations for the filing of your claim. If you fail to bring your claim within the deadline, you may be forever barred from receiving the financial compensation you deserve. Our consultation is free and if we agree to accept your case, you will not be required to pay us any money upfront. We only receive a legal fee unless you receive compensation.
With experience across a range of personal injury cases—including car accidents, construction accidents, and serious injuries—our attorneys are prepared to fight for your rights.
