What if I’m Injured in a Swimming Pool Accident? 6 Ways To Prevent Dangerous Poolside Injuries

A swimming pool accident can happen far too often, especially amongst children.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drowning in a swimming pool accident is a leading cause of death in children ages 1-4.   

Swimming pools can be a nice alternative to the overcrowded beaches in Southern California. Having the ability to relax on a hot day in the comfort of a more secluded area may help ease the heat on exhausting summer afternoons in the Valley. 

It’s important to be cautious around a pool. Some specific ways to prevent a swimming pool accident include:

• Proper pool fencing – especially important in regards to children, having a fence around the pool can serve as a necessary barrier between kids and the water.
• Proper signage – signs that warn about the dangers of your pool, such as diving in a shallow end, can decrease the risk of injury.
• Close supervision of children – parents and guardians should always keep an eye on children in and around the pool. Having knowledge of how to save them in the event they fall in is crucial as well.
• Wearing a life jacket – a life jacket can be the difference maker in someone drowning, especially children. They will help keep a person afloat in the deep ends of a pool.
• Not swimming alone – choosing to swim unsupervised runs high risks of drowning or other injury if there is no one else around to assist with unexpected situations or injuries.
• Refraining from drugs/alcohol around a pool – while a pool party with adults is about having fun with friends, drinking heavy amounts of alcohol or recreational drug use can impair people, similar to if they get behind the wheel of a car after partaking in such activities. 

Just because someone takes the necessary precautions doesn’t mean a pool accident won’t happen. There are numerous potential causes for a swimming pool accident:

• Slipping on a wet surface area around the pool – slips are a very frequent injury. The ground near pools often gets wet when other swimmers exit, creating a heavy risk for slipping.
• Falling into or around the pool – a fall into the pool can catch the victim off guard. Someone who falls into a pool may not be a good swimmer, which can lead to further complications.
• Ineffective life jacket or innertube – even trying to remain safe has issues. Old innertubes may not expand properly, thus creating a major drowning hazard.
• Improperly maintained equipment – examples include a diving board or hand railing. One crack in the foundation can be catastrophic.
• Minimal or nonexistent supervision – even as an adult, it’s important to have someone else near if you go for a swim. Another person can assist in the event something wrong happens.
• Defective pool drain – a drain not properly maintained can lead to unthought of injuries. For example, one may get their hair caught in the drain, forcing them underwater long enough to drown.

A swimming pool accident could fall under premises liability law. These are cases that occur on someone else’s property.

Under premises liability laws, property owners are negligent if they do not keep the property in a reasonably safe condition, and/or fail to fix or warn about any unsafe conditions.

For example, if you swim at a friend’s home in Encino and their diving board breaks, you would have to prove the homeowners negligence. 

In 2001, 4-year old Daniel Karven-Veres drowned to death in a swimming pool accident while attending a birthday party at the Malibu home of Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee.

The boy’s parents sued Lee for negligence.  He was found not guilty in 2003.

Examples of injuries one may suffer in a swimming pool accident include:

• Traumatic Brain Injury 
• Neck injuries 
• Neck pain
• Cuts and Bruises 
• Sprains 
• Broken or fractured bones
• Back injuries
• Wrongful death
• Spinal cord injuries

Getting injured at a swimming pool can be an extremely agonizing event. Premises liability may be hard to prove, leaving you with hopeless feelings about your situation.

Contact our LA personal injury lawyers at C&B Law Group today to see how we can help you with a swimming pool accident.

Our attorneys have 3,000 plus cases settled in just over six years. You won’t pay us unless you win, and your initial consultation is free.

Call or contact us today to learn more!