Swimming Pool Accidents
Tragically, thousands of children and adults drown
in swimming pool accidents in the U.S. every year.
Those who survive swimming pool accidents often
suffer from brain damage and other severe injuries,
including spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain
injuries, and even disembowlment.
Common Types of Swimming Pool Accidents
Many swimming pool accidents occur because of improperly
maintained drains. When a part of a person is caught
in an improperly covered drain, the pressure from the
drain can be so strong that the person is unable to
pull away. When this occurs, the person can become
trapped underwater by the pressure of the drain. This
is especially true if the person is a child. Cases
involving drains have been responsible for drownings and
even disembowling.
Many other swimming pool injurues occur as
a result of diving accidents. These accidents usually
result from poorly designed or constructed swimming pools
in which the diving board is located in an area of the
pool that is too shallow for safe diving. Injuries often
occur to the head and neck leading to drownings, brain
injuries and quadriplegia.
Other accidents occur when swimming pools are not
properly supervised, such as can occur when there are
not sufficient, properly trained lifeguards on duty at
public beaches. Without training, people are often unable
to recognize the signs that someone is struggling for
air prior to drowning. For example, most people do
not recognize that drowning victims rarely scream for
help because all their energy and focus before going
underwater is on trying to take air in and keep afloat.
Lastly, contamination of swimming pools by E. Coli and
other bacteria can cause serious injuries and even
death. Swimming pool water can become contaminated by
watery diarrhea, urination, and other germs that get
washed off of swimmers' bottoms. Chlorine kills most
germs, but some germs can survive normal pool levels
of chlorine for several hours and even days.
Unless proper chlorine levels are maintained, the
level of contamination can rise and result in injuries
to swimmers.
Why Do Swimming Pool Accidents Happen
Examples of common reasons why swimming pool accident occur include:
- improperly designed or constructed pool;
- failure to secure pools from small children;
- failure to maintain the pool in safe condition;
- lack of lifeguards;
- lack of safety equipment;
- inadequate warnings;
- absent or unreadable markings; and
- lack of safety covers.
Who Can Be Held Accountable For Swimming Pool Accidents
Liable Parties Can Include:
- recreational equipment manufacturers;
- swimming pool and component manufacturers;
- swimming pool retailers, distributors and installers;
- property owners;
- hotels and apartment owners;
- municipalities;
- schools;
- supervisory personnel;
- resort owners;
- private club employees;
- youth or infant caretakers; and
- medical mismanagement.
If you or someone you love has been the victim of
a swimming pool injury, you should
immediately contact a competent
attorney.
Our law firm, together with the network of other
law firms that we work with, helps victims of
personal injury nationally.
Law Office of Joseph A. Hernandez
675 VFW Parkway #312
Chestnut Hill, MA 02467
Phone: (781) 461-9400
Toll Free: (866) 461-9400
Email: jah@hernandezlawoffice.com
Please be sure to include a telephone number where you can be reached.
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