Massachusetts Personal Injury Library
Deadly Swimming Pool Hazards (Part B)
Other Swimming Pool Accidents in the News
Abigail was not the only child to have been injured or killed because of open drains in a swimming pool.
On June 24, 1993, young girl named Valerie Lakely was playing in another such wading pool, this time at the Medfield Area Recreation Club in Wake County, North Carolina. It was another fun and sun filled day with the sounds of laughter and enjoyment as children played in the swimming pool-until Valerie Lakely was severely injured because of an open drain.
When Valerie approached the drain outlet, the force was strong enough to pull her down to the drain and suck out 80% of her small intestine and 50-70% of her large intestine through her anus. Four adults tried to free her but they were not successful until the swimming pool’s pumps had been turned off.
Unlike Abigail, Valerie survived her injuries; however, she has to be fed nutrients through a tube in her chest 12-14 hours a day.
Valerie’s parents sued the drain manufacturer (Sta-Rite) for the pool accident and in a landmark case they were was awarded $25 million dollars in the judgment. “Three days later, the jury found Sta-Rite guilty and liable for $25 million in economic damages (by state law, punitive damages could have tripled that amount). The company immediately settled for $25 million, the largest verdict in state history,” according to an article in the Washington Monthly.
Swimming Pool Suction Entrapment Accidents
An article on Pool&SpaNews.com states, “Between January 1985 and March 2002, there were 147 confirmed, recorded suction entrapment incidences, according to CPSC records. Fifty-one of those were hair entanglement, 79 body or limb entrapments (including three eviscerations), four mechanical and 13 unknown. Of the 147 incidences, 36 resulted in deaths.”
Of those, one such victim was the granddaughter of James Baker III, former secretary of state under President George H. W. Bush. On June 15, 2002, 7 year old Graeme Baker’s hip or buttocks were suctioned to the drain. When two adults were finally able to break the suction and pull her out, Graeme had no heartbeat or pulse. This tragic swimming pool accident happened during a graduation party where 75 people were present and yet there was little they could do.
This tragic swimming pool accident spurred the family on to create legislation called the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act (VGBA).
The VGBA has four goals:
- Enhance the safety of public and private pools and spas
- To reduce the number of child pool drownings
- To reduce the number of suction entrapment incidents, injuries, deaths
- To educate the public on the need for adults to constantly monitor their children in swimming pools, including wading pools.
Contacting a Boston Child Injury Lawyer
If your child has experienced a swimming pool related injury in Massachusetts, you should hire an experienced Boston child injury lawyer right away.
When selecting a child injury attorney you may want to ask critical questions, including:
- How long have you been practicing law?
- What is your experience with child accident cases in Boston, Massachusetts?
- What is the biggest compensation you have won for your clients?
For over 30 years the Kiley Law Group, located in Andover and Boston, Massachusetts, has fought on behalf of children.
Thomas Kiley, who has been representing child victims in personal injury cases is also known as the “Million Dollar Man” for successfully obtaining million-dollar settlements and verdicts for his clients in child injury accident cases.
Call Tom Kiley at 888-208-1695.
Always Free Consultations.
