Swimming Pool Injury Claims

Where swimming pools are located

There are multiple venues where people may use swimming pools. These include residence and public facilities, such as the following:

• Fitness centers
• Hotels
• Medical facilities
• Motels
• Municipal pools

A pool’s location and purpose can affect liability for swimming pool accidents. For example, Nevada businesses must comply with wet floor sign laws to prevent slip and fall injuries. Businesses must also ensure that patrons know about potential hazards on the premises. Businesses may be liable for injuries if they fail to eliminate hazards or alert patrons to risks.

Hazards at swimming pools

Although accidents can occur almost anywhere, most occur when people interact with potential hazards. Potential hazards include the following swimming pool components:

• Drains – Drains can suck in items such as jewelry, hair, and limbs. Severe cases of buttock suction entrapment can lead to disembowelment. 
• Filters and pool pumps – A swimming pool’s purpose is to remove debris from the water. Sometimes, filters trap air, and when the pump pushes water back through the filter, it can explode. 
• Pool surrounds – Pool surrounds are usually wet, and water buildup can cause people to slip and fall.
• Water chemicals – The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that from 2008 to 2017, pool chemical injuries sent approximately 4,535 people to emergency rooms each year. 

Other things can cause an accident in pool or near a pool, such as the following:

• Debris
• Improper signage
• Lack of signage
• Lack of supervision
• Missing floatation devices
• Water levels

Common swimming accident Injuries 

When people think of swimming pool accidents, they often think of someone drowning. However, drowning isn’t the only potential safety risk at pools. Depending on the type of accident, there are many other ways a person can be injured when they’re at a pool, including the following:

• Brain damage – A person may not receive enough oxygen to their brain if they almost die in a near-drowning. Lack of oxygen to the brain can cause brain damage. 
• Broken bones – Slipping on a wet pool surround can cause bone fractures.
• Electrocutions – Faulty wiring or contact between a pool’s water and electrical appliances can result in electrocution. 
• Heat stroke – Excessive exposure to sunlight, particularly in hot temperatures, can cause heat stroke.
• Lacerations – People may suffer cuts if they come in contact with debris in or near a pool.
• Spinal cord injuries (SCIs) – Suppose a pool doesn’t accurately mark the pool’s depth. A person could dive into the pool and hit their head, causing head, neck, or spinal cord injuries.
• Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) – Hitting your head can cause a TBI. Falling or diving into shallow water are ways people receive TBIs at pools.
• Wrongful death – A wrongful death could involve drowning or dying from other preventable injuries caused by the pool owner’s negligence or recklessness.

How to prevent swimming pool accidents 

Swimming, pools, and equipment caused more than 155,000 injuries in 2021, and the CDC reports that approximately 4,000 people drown each year. Taking the following steps can reduce swimming pool injuries and deaths:

• Awareness – Ensure you know about medical conditions that could pose a risk, such as seizure disorders, and any medications swimmers take that could impair their ability to swim safely.
• Ensure users know how to swim – Many people overestimate their swimming skills, while the number of people who can’t swim and those who lack sufficient skills to swim safely is 17% and 44%, respectively. 
• Install barriers – Keep people from accessing pools without supervision by installing a fence and gate.
• Restrict alcohol consumption – Excessive alcohol intake can impair judgment and response times. When people consume alcohol and spend time in the sun, their risk of dehydration increases. Since dehydration can cause dizziness and fatigue, consuming alcohol while swimming on a hot summer day increases the risk of drowning.
• Supervision – Ensure children aren’t near or in a pool without adequate supervision. Public pools should have trained lifeguards on duty.