Swimming and diving accidents can occur in residential swimming pools, hotel swimming pools, public swimming pools, water parks, beach accidents and other such places. Swimming pools present an especially dangerous hazard for toddlers and small children when they are left uncovered or unsupervised.
Tragically, drowning in swimming pools is one of the leading causes of death for people under the age of 14. In fact, more people of all ages die in swimming pool related drownings than any other type of water activity. The real tragedy of these deaths is that a significant portion of them could have been prevented if only pool owners and operators followed routine safety precautions.
The most common places for children to drown are the pools of residential areas or the backyards of so many suburban homes. Over 1,000 children drown each year, and 65% of these accidents occur in home or apartment pools. Easy access to unsupervised water is among the leading causes of death in children under the age of five, and, unfortunately, that number appears to be on the rise.
Swimming accidents happen for many reasons including:
· Diving board accidents
· Diving into shallow water
· Lack of supervision
· Failure to cover the pool or hot tub
· Inadequate fencing
· Inadequate warning signs
· No lifeguards or improperly trained lifeguards
· Improperly designed or constructed pools
· Failure to maintain the pool in good condition
· Alcohol or drug use
Accidents at swimming pools can be severe, disabling or fatal. The combination of water and hard surfaces can result in serious consequences for those engaging in negligent, inattentive or reckless behavior around swimming pools. It is a sad fact that most swimming pool accidents involve children playing around pools without adequate supervision.
The injuries characteristic of swimming pool accidents can include:
· Head injuries ranging from concussion to severe brain trauma
· Fractures, broken bones and soft tissue damage to knees, ankles, or shoulders suffered in falls onto hard poolside surfaces
· Spinal cord damage resulting from diving accidents
· Brain damage resulting from near drowning accidents
· Death by drowning or other injury
Owners and operators of public pools, apartment building pools, community pools, health club pools, and hotel/motel pools all have a legal responsibility to provide a safe environment.
Accordingly, if you have suffered a diving injury or been injured in a swimming pool accident, you may be able to file a premises liability claim against the responsible owner of the pool if you can prove that the owner was negligent, that that negligence caused an injury, and that damages occurred as a result of that injury. Recoverable damages could include medical expenses, loss of wages, and other foreseeable damages resulting from the injury. You can also file a personal injury action against any individual whose negligence caused you to suffer a swimming or diving injury.
