Our skilled swimming pool injury lawyers help people who were injured in a swimming pool or spa-related accident. Pool injuries are unfortunately all too common across the U.S., and young children are statistically more at risk than adults. In 2019, children aged five years and below accounted for approximately 80% of the emergency department-treated injuries due to pool-or-spa-related accidents. Injury victims (both adults and young people) deserve fair compensation for their injuries.
Common injuries in swimming pool accidents include head and brain injuries, back injuries, and broken bones. People typically experience these harms via a slip and fall incident, accidents involving pool drains, skin irritation from pool chemicals, and cuts from sharp edges and surfaces.
Personal injury attorneys can help injury victims by filing a swimming pool accident lawsuit on their behalf. These claims are usually based upon the following legal theories:
Lawyers often file these cases against:
- homeowners and property owners,
- negligent lifeguards,
- swimming pool owners, and
- manufactures of faulty equipment or pool parts.
In addition to filing lawsuits, swimming pool accident attorneys can help injured swimmers in a variety of ways. For example, they can help victims:
- manage their ongoing medical care,
- gather evidence to help identify liable parties, and
- file personal injury claims with the insurance companies of at-fault parties.
The Shouse Law Group is a personal injury law firm that represents people in swimming pool accident cases. Our experienced attorneys work tirelessly for all our clients and seek to get you the biggest settlement possible. Call today to get the legal representation you deserve.
Pool injury victims deserve fair compensation for their injuries.
What are common causes of swimming pool accidents and common injuries?
Swimming pool accidents affect numerous Americans every year. This is especially true with regards to children. On average, 76% of children, ages five and below, were treated in emergency departments for non-fatal drowning and pool-or-spa-related injuries from 2017 through 2019.1 Further, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more children in the U.S., ages one to four, die from drowning than any other cause of death except birth defects.2
Common causes of swimming pool accidents (pertaining to both children and adults) include:
- slip and fall accidents,
- cuts on sharp terrain,
- hair getting caught in pool drains (or slipping beneath drain covers),
- entrapment via drain suctions,
- burns and skin injuries from over-chlorination,
- intoxication,
- faulty diving boards and ladders,
- faulty safety equipment,
- inadequate warning signs,
- lack of fences in pool areas, and
- drowning or near drowning.
Pool accidents can lead to extremely serious injuries, including:
- brain damage,
- brain injuries,
- spinal cord injuries,
- back injuries,
- sprains and strains,
- broken bones, and
- lacerations.
Factors that increase the risk of drowning accidents or near-drowning accidents include:
- lack of supervision or negligent supervision (for example, by parents or lifeguards),
- boating accidents,
- absence of fencing or other similar barriers around pool areas and hot tubs,
- failing to wear a life jacket,
- pool owners failing to post pool safety or water safety tips for swimmers,
- consuming alcohol, and
- poor swimming ability.3
Who are common defendants in a swimming pool injury case?
Drowning victims and pool injury victims can file a lawsuit or injury claim against any of the following parties:
- pool owners (including owners of public pools and private pools),
- homeowners,
- other types of property owners,
- manufacturers of pools, pool parts, and pool-related equipment,
- negligent pool supervisors.
Note that someone acts negligently when he/she fails to act the way a reasonably careful person would in the same situation.
If successful in a suit or claim, injured swimmers can receive compensation for:
- medical bills and medical expenses,
- lost wages,
- lost earning capacity,
- property damage, and
- pain and suffering.
If someone was killed in a pool accident case, the party’s surviving family members can file a wrongful death lawsuit against the party responsible for causing the accident. Damages can include (but are not limited to):
- burial and funeral expenses,
- amounts the deceased would have earned as income, and
- compensation for the loss of the deceased’s companionship and support.
What is the role of a personal injury lawyer in a swimming accident case?
Pool accident attorneys or law firms play a huge role in these cases.
For example, lawyers can assist clients by:
- interviewing them to assess the facts of a case,
- securing immediate medical care,
- managing ongoing medical care and treatment,
- gathering evidence to identify liable parties,
- appointing experts to analyze this evidence or present it to a judge or jury,
- sending demand letters to all at-fault parties,
- filing a personal injury claim with a negligent party’s insurance company, and
- initiating and managing a personal injury lawsuit against all liable parties.
What are the benefits of a swimming pool injury lawyer?
A swimming pool attorney essentially help clients receive the maximum possible compensation for their injuries.
They know the value of a swimming accident case. This means a lawyer can ask for a case payout that properly reflects the amount of a victim’s damages.
Attorneys can also find hidden value within a case (like additional liable parties). Uncovering this value translates into a larger settlement or court award for a lawyer’s client.
An injury attorney also assumes responsibility for all of the details and complexities within an accident case. Victims, then, can focus entirely on getting better and taking care of their injuries.
The good news is that most personal injury lawyers provide free case evaluations. A free consultation means that people can learn their legal options without spending a dime.
Note, too, that the information a client discusses with a lawyer is protected by the lawyer-client relationship. An attorney cannot disclose this information without the client’s consent.
For additional help…
Call us for help!
If you or a loved one was injured in a spa or pool-related accident, we invite you to contact our law firm at the Shouse Law Group. Our attorneys and legal team provide both free consultations and legal advice you can trust.
We work tirelessly to get you the maximum compensation available for your case.
Legal References:
- U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission publication, “Pool or Spa Submersion: Estimated Nonfatal Drowning Injuries and Reported Drownings, 2020 Report.”
- CDC website, “Drowning Facts.”
- See same.