Work with an Experienced Drowning Lawyer
Swimming pool accidents can be devastating. One moment, everything seems fine, the next moment, an individual could be suffering serious injuries or even become a victim ofdrowning. Whether they take place at ahomeowner's association pool, apartment pool, or a private residence, pool accidents can leave families and friends wondering what went wrong.
The Doan Law Firm, P.C. has an extensive history of representing pool accident victims and their family members across the United States.Attorney Jimmy Doan is a skilled drowning attorney with more than 15 years of experience in the aquatic safety business. The legal team at the firm handles each case with the utmost respect and care, while fighting aggressively for fair compensation.
You can best protect your important legal interests by promptly contacting a swimming pool accident lawyer at The Doan Law Firm at(800) 349-0000. Our firm canschedule an initial consultation with one of our lawyers at your convenience at one of our 40 local offices across the country, or online. There is never a charge for an initial consultation and case evaluation. Indeed, our firm makes an attorney fee guarantee – we willnever charge an attorney fee in your case unless we win for you.
We Handle All Types of Swimming Pool Accident Cases
The Doan Law Firm, PLLC provides nationwide representation for the victims and families of swimming pool drownings and other injuries. When a drowning accident is caused by negligence or neglect on the part of a property owner, Attorney Doan and his firm can work tirelessly to help you file a lawsuit or claim to seek damages for all sustained injuries and losses.
Apartment Pool Accidents
Apartment complexes often have a pool as one of the amenities residents and their guests can enjoy. As such, residents have reason to expect that the apartment management will not only keep the pool maintained, but that certain safety precautions will be taken to keep the residents who use it safe from harm. Any failure to do so could lead to innocent lives being lost. If you or someone you love has drowned or had anear-drowning experience in an apartment pool, you need to seek counsel from a swimming pool accident lawyer at once.
There are many actions apartment building owners, management companies, and their staff are required to take to safeguard a property so as to protect its residents, including:
- A permanently-posted sign listing the "pool rules"
- Warning notices alerting guests that no lifeguard is on duty
- Security gate to keep unauthorized guests and non-residents from gaining entry
When their responsibilities are neglected, injury can result. Adefective pool fence can allow easy access to a child who would otherwise be prevented from going in the pool area without adult supervision.
Country Club Pool Accidents
Country clubs offer a wide variety of activities and amenities that members and their guests can take advantage of, particularly on warm summer days. People often opt to join and use country club facilities over those run by the city or local community, as there is a certain expectation that the club will keep their property well-maintained and look out for the safety of their members.
A country club owner or manager needs be held liable for any accidents and injuries that result if he or she:
- Acts negligently with pool maintenance
- Attempts to cut corners with improper lifeguard training
- Fails to fix something that is knowingly broken
It is this type of carelessness and backward thinking that puts others' lives at risk. Pool accidents are not minor accidents. In many cases, a pool accident can lead topermanent brain damage caused by a lack of oxygen, paralysis from spinal injuries, and other permanent disabilities.
Public & City Pool Accidents
Federal legislation requires operators of public and city pools and spas to meet certain safety standards. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has worked to enforce these standards, some of which include fencing around pools, supervision of children, and anti-entrapmentpool drain covers. Recent changes to federal laws require drain covers to meet certain specifications, which are designed to limit the number of drowning deaths and accidents related to pool drains.
However, meeting these requirements is not as simple as checking items off of a list. A public pool may have met the child supervision requirement, butlifeguard negligence could still be a factor in a case if the lifeguard was inattentive or failed to respond to the accident within a reasonable amount of time. That is why is critical to have an experienced swimming pool accident lawyer help you gather evidence related your situation.
School Pool Drowning Accident
Children, especially those who play sports, may spend more time in a school pool than any other type of swimming pool. While these facilities provide enjoyment and allow children to compete in water sports and races, they also place individuals at risk if left in disrepair with inadequate or untrained supervision. A school pool drowning accident can leave families devastated and unsure of where to turn.
School pool operators must meet certain federal safety standards, which are designed to reduce the number of injuries and drowning deaths in public swimming pools. These regulations include supervision of children and the use of anti-entrapment drain covers. Finding negligence on the part of the school or pool operator does not mean proving any intent to harm. Rather, it simply involves evidence that reveals the responsible party failed to take reasonable care when ensuring the safety of swimmers. So, if alifeguard failed to pay attention to swimmers, or if there was a faulty or inadequate drain cover, a family could, with the help a skilled drowning attorney, hold the right individuals responsible.
Types of Pool Accident Injuries
Often, pool accidents are not the result of egregious error on the part of a parent or family member. In fact, many pool accident victims are under some sort of supervision at the time of the incident. Whether injuries are sustained as a result of adefective pool gate or apool drain cover accident, the lives of all involved can change drastically in a matter of moments.
Non-fatal Pool Injuries
Ranging from a traumatic brain injury (TBI), which can be sustained when an individual hits his or her head, to disembowelment, which can occur if an individual sits on top of a pool drain, non-fatal pool accident injuries can have lasting effects for victims and their families. Medical expenses for these individuals can skyrocket, and may remain elevated for the remainder of their lives.
Fatal Pool Injuries
Fatal pool injuries are catastrophic for friends and family members. Many happen when parents or caretakers take their eyes off a child for just a moment. It takes just a moment for small children to wander toward and fall into nearby swimming pools. Other fatalities occur as a result oflifeguard negligence orpool operator negligence.
Common Causes of Swimming Pool Accidents
In the United States, approximately 10 percent of swimming pool accidents involve diving. These accidents can result in severe and even debilitating injuries and in some cases death. While many pool accidents do happen in residential swimming pools, they also occur with alarming regularity at public locations as well as at resort and hotel swimming pools.
Alcohol and Swimming Pool Accidents
As is the case with many accidents, alcohol is a frequent contributing factor when it comes to aquatic accidents. In fact, according to theCDC, alcohol is involved in:
- "up to 70% of deaths associated with water recreation, like boating or swimming"
- "nearly 1 in 4 emergency department visits for drowning"
Diving Into Inadequate Water Depths
The American Red Cross recommends a minimum of nine feet of water depth for safer head first dives into swimming pools. This includes dives from a lower-level diving board as well as from the pool deck itself. If a pool has what commonly is referred to as a high dive, there needs to be water of a greater depth in order for a head first plunge into the water to be safer. Over 57 percent of swimming pool diving accidents occur in a water depth of four feet or less.
In regard to inadequate water depths, it is never safe to dive into an above-ground swimming pool, according to the American Red Cross. “No diving” signs should be placed conspicuously around all swimming pools that do not meet minimum water depth requirements. The same signage should be placed at appropriate locations at pools where there is a deeper end with a water depth that allows for diving.
Diving Tricks
Keep in mind that only experienced, properly trained swimmers should ever dive head first into a swimming pool. Unfortunately, every year people are seriously and even fatally injured in diving-related swimming pool accidents because they attempt some sort of diving “trick” for which they are not trained or qualified to undertake. According to the American Institutes for Research, about 17 percent of all diving accidents occur when a person attempts an unusual dive or trick.
Improperly Maintained Diving Boards
Another of the most commonplace underlying causes of swimming pool accidents is improperly maintained diving boards. The fact is that diving boards are far more complicated pieces of equipment than most people appreciate. The types of negligent maintenance issues are extensive. They include everything from improper maintenance of a diving board’s surface to inadequate upkeep of the hardware and mechanical components of a swimming pool diving board.
Improperly Maintained Pool Deck Areas
Improperly maintained pool deck areas are another of the more common underlying causes of a swimming pool accident. These include swimming pool decks that are not properly maintained, decks that are damaged, and deck areas that are improperly designed or installed in the first instance.
Inadequate Staff Training
Inadequate staff training is another negligent factor that plays into injuries and even deaths that arise from swimming pool accidents. For example, if a public swimming facility, waterpark, resort, or hotel maintains a lifeguard or other type of personal safety staff, they need to be trained appropriately to deal with all reasonably anticipated types of aquatic accidents. This includes being able to respond appropriately to a pool accident.
Improper Securing of Swimming Pool
Swimming pool accidents occur with some regularity as a result of a swimming pool and surrounding area not being appropriately secured. In other words, individuals – usually children or teens – access an inadequately secured swimming pool “after hours.”
Contact a drowning lawyer today to get the help you need.
