Swimming Pool Accidents

Steps to Get Started

After an accident, insurance companies will pressure you to file a claim directly with them and will work to settle as quickly as possible. Don’t.

Request a Free Case Evaluation

Take the time to reach out for a free consultation, where we can review your case’s specifics and help you understand your legal options. No two cases are the same, so reading the FAQs on a legal site or getting advice from someone else who has suffered a swimming pool injury won’t necessarily give you the complete picture of your options.

Investigation and Evidence Collection

Once you partner with a swimming pool accident attorney, you can remain focused on your recovery while the legal team gathers witness statements, accident reports, surveillance footage, medical records, and anything else that will help paint a complete picture of the situation.

You will also meet directly with the legal team to explain your own experience with your injuries and how the accident happened.

Filing the Claim

Throughout the investigation, your attorney will identify the liable party or multiple parties, such as a pool owner, lifeguard, maintenance team, hotel, manufacturer, or others. Your lawyer will work directly with the defense team or insurance company representing each liable party, and will handle direct negotiations in an attempt to reach a settlement without needing to go to trial.

Litigation or Settlement

If your attorney can’t reach a fair settlement agreement with the at-fault party, they will take the case to trial. Settlements are preferred in many instances because they avoid the uncertainty and extended timeframe of a trial, but our team has extensive trial experience and will know when it’s time to move forward through the courts.

Whichever path we take, you can be confident that our goal is maximizing your compensation.

Common Injuries at Swimming Pools

Swimming pools are relaxing and fun, but they can be dangerous. Swimming pool injuries can be fatal, and even non-fatal accidents can lead to lifelong disabilities, ongoing medical needs, and substantial impacts on a victim’s and their family’s quality of life. Whether or not you see your injury listed below, contact our firm right away for a free consultation so we can discuss your unique circumstances and devise a clear path forward to fair compensation.

Drowning and Near-Drowning Incidents

More than 4,000 people drown in swimming pools across the United States every year — a shocking statistic that underscores how dangerous pools can be without proper supervision and safety equipment on site. Even a non-fatal incident can lead to long-term disabilities and extensive medical costs, among other major impacts on a victim’s life, such as brain damage from oxygen deprivation.

Slip and Fall Injuries

Wet and slippery decks, steps, and flooring around the pool significantly increase the risk of falls that can result in fractures, concussions, spinal cord injuries, whiplash, and other major injuries.

A slip and fall injury at a pool is a major risk, and it’s up to a pool owner or maintainer to ensure that anti-slip features are present and functional, and that there is proper signage about running around the pool to keep everyone safe.

Diving Injuries

Diving into shallow water comes with a high risk of spinal cord injuries, neck injuries, concussions, and other serious accidents. Diving boards, too, can lead to significant issues like head trauma, broken bones, and other problems. People who use diving boards must be properly trained and supervised, and all diving areas must be maintained to ensure safe conditions.

Chemical Burns and Exposure

Swimming pools require continuous chemical treatment to keep the water safe and free of bacteria, algae, and other growth, but incorrect chlorine levels or unsafe shock practices can cause serious eye, skin, and respiratory issues.

If the water is not properly monitored and maintained, swimmers risk exposure to harmful bacteria and serious infections that can cause various secondary health problems.

Tips for Safer Swimming Pools

If you are a pool owner, it’s important that you know how to keep your pool safe and cut down on avoidable swimming pool injuries with proper safety measures. Pool owners are responsible for the conditions of their pool and, therefore, are often responsible for injuries that occur on the premises. Take a look at a few safety tips:

Install Code-Compliant Barriers and Fencing

Locked gates will keep unsupervised children and uninvited guests from accessing your pool, and a pool cover can further reduce the risk of accidental drownings.

Keep Up With Maintenance

Keep a schedule for routine safety and maintenance checks, reviewing things like ladders, drains, diving boards, pool liners, and filters to ensure they are properly secured and functioning correctly.

Check water quality on a schedule, as well, and ensure that you are fully trained on treating your water and when it’s safe to let people in the water after a treatment.

Clearly Mark Depths

You can avoid diving injuries by clearly marking shallow areas and including signage that warns against diving where it isn’t safe. You can also cut down on risks for non-swimmers or people who aren’t confident by clearly demarcating the deep end, transitional zone, and shallow end so people know where they are safest.

Train Staff and Learn CPR

If you operate a public or commercial pool, you must have properly trained staff present when the pool is open for use. If you are a homeowner with a pool, make sure that you and other adults and older children are trained in CPR and water extraction protocols in case there is an emergency.

Avoid Alcohol While Swimming

Alcohol impairs judgment, decreases coordination, and can lead to a dangerous situation in the water. Alcohol around pools increases the risk of, to name a few, drowning and slip and fall accidents, and ultimately creates a more dangerous environment for everyone present.