There are many factors that contribute to swimming pool tragedies, including improper or inadequate safety equipment, lack of supervision, and poor design.
Common Forms of Pool Negligence
The majority of public and private swimming pool injuries involve some form of negligence, including:
- Slip and falls. Swimmers may easily slip on the wet surfaces around a pool, causing traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) if their heads make contact with tile or concrete.
- Diving board incidents. Divers can strike the board on their way into the water, injuring a leg, arm, or head, causing broken bones, TBIs or even potentially drown.
- Drain or pump injuries. A child’s limbs, clothing, or hair may become caught in a pool drain or pump, causing lacerations or hypoxia if he or she can't get free.
- Non-fatal drownings. Thousands of children are treated in emergency rooms each year for non-fatal drowning injuries, which can cause temporary or permanent brain damage.
- Deaths. Hundreds of children are killed as a result of drownings in swimming pools, usually due to poor supervision.
In most cities and towns in Texas, owners are required to put up locked fences around their pools to keep children from venturing onto the property unsupervised. If they fail to do so, they may be found liable for injuries to children—even if the children were trespassers warned to stay off the property.
Ready to Help When You Need Us
At Samples Ames PLLC, we can advise you of your rights after a swimming pool injury at no cost to you. Please fill out the brief contact form on this page to set up your free initial case review with a personal injury attorney.