Swimming
Accident Lawyer Services
Poolside
and other swimming related accidents are the second
leading cause of death of children under 14 years of
age. From drowning to accidents involving poolside apparatuses
such as diving boards or maintenance equipment, the
pool can be a dangerous place.
Each year
over 1,000 children (about 250 under the age of 5) die
in swimming related accidents and over 5,000 others
are hospitalized. Additionally, spas and whirlpools
kill over 200 children annually. According to the Consumer
Product Safety Commission (CPSC), in 2002 an estimated
1,600 children were treated in hospital emergency rooms
for submersion injuries. Many of these deaths and injuries
occurred in residential pools.
Adults are
not immune from aquatic accidents. Many adults suffer
severe injuries when they combine alcohol and swimming.
Furthermore, severe spinal cord injuries may result
from diving into water that is too shallow. A pool owner
may be negligent if he or she fails to post adequate
warnings regarding water depth.
CPSC recommends
using layers of protection. This includes, constant
supervision of young children; placing barriers such
as a fence with a self-closing, self-latching gate around
your pool to prevent access; and being prepared in case
of an emergency.
Close supervision
of young children is vital for families with a home
pool -- and not just when outside using the pool. A
common scenario is that young children leave the house
without a parent or caregiver realizing it. Children
are drawn to water, not knowing the terrible danger
pools can pose. Also, just because children know how
to swim, doesn't mean they are safe. All children should
be supervised every second while in and around the pool.
The commission
offers these additional tips to prevent drowning:
- Fences
and walls should be at least 4 feet high and installed
completely around the pool. Fence gates should be
self-closing and self-latching. The latch should be
out of a small child's reach. Keep furniture that
could be used for climbing into the pool area away
from fences.
- If your
house forms one side of the barrier to the pool, then
doors leading from the house to the pool should be
protected with alarms that produce a sound when a
door is unexpectedly opened.
- A power
safety cover -- a motor-powered barrier that can be
placed over the water area -- can be used when the
pool is not in use.
- Keep rescue
equipment by the pool and be sure a phone is poolside
with emergency numbers posted. Knowing cardiopulmonary
resuscitation (CPR) can be a lifesaver.
- Don't
leave pool toys and floats in the pool or pool area
that may attract young children to the water.
- For above-ground
pools, steps and ladders to the pool should be secured
and locked, or removed when the pool is not in use.
- If a child
is missing, always look in the pool first. Seconds
count in preventing death or disability.
- Pool alarms
can be used as an added precaution. Look for alarms
that meet the requirements of the ASTM standard. The
commission advises that consumers use remote alarm
receivers so the alarm can be heard inside the house
or in other places away from the pool area.
- To prevent
body entrapment and hair entrapment/entanglement,
have a qualified pool professional inspect the drain
suction fittings and covers on your pool and spa to
be sure that they are the proper size, properly attached,
and meet current safety standards. If your pool or
spa has a single drain outlet, consider installing
a safety vacuum release system that breaks the vacuum
to avoid potential entrapment conditions.
Swimming
Accident Overview
information provided by InjuryBoard.com
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