How Safe Is Your Swimming Pool?

In the state of California, a team of experienced Los Angeles injury lawyers are having to deal with an influx of cases involving swimming pool accidents. The laws in the state decree that all land owners with swimming pools or open and exposed jacuzzi/hot tubs have to cordon off the area surrounding it with 5 ft high fencing. On top of this it is advised to make use of special childproof gates and have clear access areas. Yet despite all of this, in the year of 2009 (the latest year for statistics) the CDC reported that 424 people drowned in swimming pool related deaths in the state of California alone. On top of this, another 1605 people were admitted to hospital with injuries that were caused in and around swimming pools, hot tubs and jacuzzi's.

It is fair to say that most swimming pool accidents although extremely tragic are in fact preventable and home owners can be subject to a personal injury lawsuit if they do not take the necessary precautions.

So what is classed as taking 'necessary precautions?' A Los Angeles injury lawyer explains...

Being vigilant

Kids love messing about in water, and what better way to have fun and to get a welcome break from the California heat, than a swim. Drowning can occur in such a small length of time and as a result it is important as a homeowner to be vigilant. As well as children, it is important to keep adults in check to. This may mean no running near the pool, no swimming whilst intoxicated and no dangerous antics.

Good housekeeping policies

Try to make sure that all areas of your swimming pool, hot tub or Jacuzzi are well maintained. This includes replacement of any damaged tiles surrounding the pool, repairing any faulty ladders or pool slides, and make sure that you are putting in the right amount of chemicals in your pool, hot tub, or jacuzzi as contaminated water can lead to serious illness.

Barriers

Effective use of fencing, gates, pool covers and alarms are paramount to safety and will help to prevent accidental drowning in young children. In fact according to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, in around 69% of child drowning fatalities the child was last seen in and around the yard before tragically finding their way into the swimming pool. Installing a simple alarm system could have gone a long way in preventing these fatalities.

Swimming pool and hot tub/Jacuzzi accidents are not just about drowning. In fact an experienced team of Los Angeles injury attorneys who are well versed in dealing with swimming pool accidents state that head trauma and broken bones are also commonplace injuries due to slip and fall incidents. In fact, the majority of these are classed as premises liability cases and can often be difficult to litigate. They require a skilled attorney who can provide a degree of separation between the wrongdoer (the property owner) and the emotionality of the plaintiff, or family of the injured party. Issues such as gross negligence have to be expertly investigated.

Delivering the right result for the victim and their family often requires the use of experts. Accident reconstruction specialists, swimming pool safety experts and forensic scientists can all be called upon to help with the case. Hiring professionals to help with investigations can be expensive and as the majority of Los Angeles injury lawyers work on a contingency (no win no fee) basis, it means that a good lawyer will have to have the financial backing in place to be able to carry out such tasks. Working on a contingency basis also means that the victim is never out of pocket and they only pay, as and when the case is a success. This is generally deducted from the total amount of the compensation claim as a percentage.

There is nothing better than relaxing in a pool on hot day and by following some of the sound advice given above you can avoid having to face unnecessary and indeed preventable premises liability claims for personal injury. If you are a victim of a swimming pool accident, then be rest assured that there is an experienced injury attorney Los Angeles who is standing by to take your call.