Common Causes of Swimming Pool Accidents
Swimming pools are a great way to relax and beat the heat on a summer day. However, pools often become sites of serious accidents when proper safety precautions are not followed. Swimming pool accidents can result in devastating injuries and even death, that oftentimes could have been prevented. These accidents can happen for many reasons, but the most common causes include:
Lack of Supervision
Lack of supervision is by far the most common cause of swimming pool accidents, especially when children are involved. When a lifeguard is not properly trained, or there is no lifeguard on duty at all, the chance of an accident is greatly increased. It is always important to keep a watchful eye on children near swimming pools since these accidents can occur so suddenly. In fact, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that when a child is unsupervised near a pool, drowning can occur in just five minutes.
Intoxication
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 70% of water recreation deaths involve alcohol. When impaired judgment and a lack of coordination from drinking is paired with the risky environment of a swimming pool, the results can be devastating.
Defective Equipment
Pools need to be routinely inspected in order to ensure that all equipment is functioning properly. Defective equipment or parts can cause serious and sudden accidents resulting in physical injury. For example, a damaged diving board poses a major threat to swimmer safety, and a broken or missing ladder could leave a person struggling to exit the pool. One of the biggest concerns regarding pool equipment deals with anti-entrapment mechanisms. Under federal law, all pools must have anti-entrapment devices to prevent swimmers’ clothing, hair, or limbs from getting caught in a drain. Defective or missing anti-entrapment devices have sadly caused many fatal accidents.
When swimming pool accidents result in severe physical damage or death, the aspect of liability is brought into question. Swimming pool accidents often lead to complicated premises liability cases, and victims may be in the position to fight for compensation. Premises liability cases can be very complicated, as it is often unclear who exactly is responsible for the accident. The lawyers at Goings Law Firm, LLC have years of experience working to the protect the rights of those entering premises liability cases and are prepared to do the same for you. To speak with one of our dedicated attorneys, call us today at (803) 350-9230.
