Massachusetts Personal Injury Library
Drowning Accidents in Massachusetts
Summer is on its way to Massachusetts, and with the warm weather comes the danger of drowning accidents. A person, especially a child, can drown at any moment, but with the increase in numbers of people on Massachusetts beaches, rivers, and swimming pools, the number of drowning or near-drowning incidents increases.
According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there were 3,443 unintentional drowning deaths in the United States, averaging at nearly 10 deaths per day.
Drowning Accidents: Oceans, Lakes and Rivers
As opposed to swimming pools, bathtubs and buckets, the occurrence of deaths from drowning in big bodies of water, such as oceans and lakes, increases with age.
CDC data shows that most drowning fatalities among people 15 years of age or older occur in natural water settings.
Also, according to the CDC, males are 3.7 times more at risk of drowning than females, based on the most recent 2007 data.
Swimming Pool Drowning Accidents
Swimming pools can be dangerous, too, especially to kids. People often think that since that it's a static body of water and there are no waves, pools are safe for children and adults.
However, CDC numbers show that many people die each year in swimming pool accidents. In addition, swimming pools have the highest risk for child accidents and unintentional drowning. They result in death more than any other single recreational accident.
Bathtub Drowning Accidents
According to the CPSC, children under 1 year old most often die in drowning accidents involving a bathtub, bucket or a toilet.
Children drowned in bathtubs account for almost two-thirds of the reported drowning deaths in the home. As with most child drowning accidents, the accident occurred while the caregiver was not looking.
Also, a lot of bathtub drowning deaths occurred while the victim was using a bath seat.
The most important thing for parents to remember is to never leave a toddler alone in the bathtub, and not to rely on bath seats to protect their children.
The best protection is adult supervision.
Also, people suffering from seizures are at great risk of bathtub drowning. For them, drowning is the most common cause of unintentional death from injury, with bathtubs being the site of the highest risk for drowning.
Bucket Drowning Accidents
While it may seem unlikely that a person can drown in a bucket, they in fact pose a significant risk to small children. About 25 children drown in buckets every year in the U.S., and usually 5-gallon buckets found around the home are to blame.
This type of buckets, even not half-full, is more stable than other buckets and will not tip over when a small child uses it to pull up.
According to the CPSC a child can drown in a bucket in less time it takes to answer the phone.
When to Seek Legal Help
If your child has suffered traumatic injuries or death in a drowning accident in Massachusetts, you may have the legal grounds to pursue a personal injury lawsuit or a wrongful death claim on your child's behalf.
To find out about your legal options and determine the negligent party in your child's drowning accident, consult with a Boston child injury lawyer.
Call our toll-free number 1-888-208-1695 for scheduling a Free Consultation.
