Child Pool Injuries & Drownings Lawyer
Southern California is warm and sunny almost all year long. Playing in water is second nature to most residents. Residents have access to the ocean via hundreds of miles of coastline. Southern California has over a million swimming pools. To a small child, a bathtub is like a pool. But water presents extraordinary dangers for children.
Drowning and Swimming Pool Statistics
- Drownings are the leading cause of injury death for young children ages 1 to 4
- 600 + children annually are either hospitalized or treated and released for swimming pool accidents in California
Your Child’s Rights as a Drowning or Swimming Pool Accident Victim
You may have the right to recover damages incurred by you and your child if your child’s drowning or swimming pool accident is caused by the negligence or intentional misconduct of others. If a manufacturer or installer of a pool has done so unsafely or defectively then they may have breached a required standard of care. If the people entrusted to supervise your child did so inappropriately or encouraged reckless and dangerous activities around the pool or in the ocean, then they may have breached a required standard of care. If that breach caused the child’s drowning injury or death, then you may have a case and the ability to recover damages for your child.
Nothing is more devastating to a family than having their child seriously injured or killed in a drowning accident. Parents or family members often hold themselves responsible for and suffer the trauma of misplaced guilt after an accident. Could we have, should we have, and what might we have done differently?
The time after a child injury is highly emotional and mounting medical costs aggravate these emotions. There are numerous legal issues at stake in resolving your child’s injury or death. Drowning and swimming pool accidents are often complex and involve a set of circumstances that may point to liability and insurance coverage in some unimagined areas. Is the property owner where the injury occurred potentially liable? Will a homeowner or business policy cover certain injuries?
Our experienced child pool injury and drowning attorneys can help find the liable parties. We can help identify who might have the resources and insurance coverage to cover the liability. Tell us about your case. Call us at (626) 604-6973 or complete and send an inquiry form by following this link.
Notes On The Dangers of Near-Drowning
Near drowning can have severe and lasting health effects. It occurs when a victim is rescued before suffering fatal injuries. Initial symptoms may vary widely but can include: unconsciousness, vomiting, irritability, confusion, coughing up sputum, gasping, lethargy, restlessness and abdominal expansion. If breathing is interrupted or stopped, it is possible that the drowning victim has suffered long-term or permanent brain damage because of the lack of oxygen. Drowning injuries like these may result in long-term disabilities such as memory issues, learning disabilities, and permanent loss of basic functioning, also known as a permanent vegetative state.
If our child had a near-drowning experience, call us. We can help you assess the situation. The consultation is free.
Recoverable Damages In A Child Drowning or Swimming Pool Accident
Recoverable damages include:
- Medical expenses: for hospital, doctor, test, therapy, ambulance, emergency room expenses
- Future medical expenses: continued care costs
- Pain and suffering: based on severity and duration of pain
- Mental anguish: mental and emotional distress related to accident may be recoverable
- Loss of earning capacity: if you can earning capacity has been affected by the accident
- Disfigurement
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Loss of service to family
- Punitive damages in some cases
If your child has suffered a serious injury that may have been caused by someone else’s negligence or carelessness, you should contact us for a free consultation at (626) 243-5598 or complete and send an inquiry form by following this link.
Child Drowning and Pool Accident Prevention Tips
Get skilled:
Learn the basics of swimming (floating, moving through the water) and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Becoming competent in swimming and life saving is one of the best ways to minimize the risks of accidents. If you have an opportunity to get certified, or seek advanced training, do so.
Fence dangerous areas:
Use fences, with self–closing and self–latching gates, around swimming pools.
Use life jackets:
Make sure kids wear life jackets in and around water.
Supervise, supervise, supervise:
When kids are in or near water (including bathtubs), closely supervise them at all times. Good supervision means sober supervision.
Resources:
American Red Cross Water Safety Tips
Center for Disease Control & Prevention – Drowning Prevention Tips
