Massachusetts Personal Injury Library
Drowning: Swimming Pool Accidents (Part A)
As much fun as swimming pools can be, they can also be dangerous. Many people die each year in swimming pool accidents, including children.
Swimming pools are among the highest risk for child accidents and drowning. They result in death more than any other single recreational accident.
Drowning is second only to car accidents as the leading cause of death in children under the age of 14.
Swimming Pool Drowning Statistics
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “In 2005, there were 3,582 fatal unintentional drownings in the United States, averaging 10 deaths per day. An additional 710 people died, from drowning and other causes, in boating-related incidents.”
Among children 1 to 4 years old, most drowning incidents occur in residential swimming pools.
Swimming Pool Accidents Under Adult Supervision
The swimming pool accident can happen so quickly that it often occurs even when adults are present. Usually, the child was recently seen in the home, was under a parent’s care, and there was only a short amount of time that the child went missing before they were found in the pool.
- For each child who drowns in a swimming pool accident, 3 more receive emergency room care for non-fatal water submersion.
- Approximately, 40% of these children will require hospitalization.
Extended submersion in a swimming pool can cause brain damage, and may also result in long-term disabilities ranging from memory problems and learning disabilities to the permanent loss of basic functioning (otherwise sometimes known as a permanent vegetative state).
Personal Injury Lawyers and Swimming Pool Accidents
If your child has been involved in a swimming pool accident, you should consult with a personal injury lawyer that specializes in Boston child injury cases in Massachusetts.
It is important that the lawyer you choose has successfully handled child accident cases and understands the intricacies of swimming pool accidents. The law firm Kiley Law Group will take time to learn about your situation, help you determine liability, and get you the compensation your family deserves.
Swimming Pool Drowning In the News
- In Riverside County, California, they have already seen 5 children die in drowning accidents this year (through June) compared to 8 in all of 2007. 4 children have drowned in San Bernadino County this year compared to 6 in 2008 and we’re just in the middle of the summer swimming season. High child drowning numbers like these occur all over the country.
- On July 15, 2009 a 6 year old boy visiting his grandparents died when he drowned in the swimming pool. He was not actively swimming and was found fully clothed. Family members and neighbors tried CPR to no avail. The youngster was from Texas but visiting his grandparents in Metuchen, New Jersey.
Continue to Drowning: Swimming Pool Accidents (Part B) >>
