Massachusetts Personal Injury Library
Common Child Injuries from Swimming Pool Accidents (Part A)
Swimming pools are one of the best parts of summer for children, and they can be safe if the proper precautions are followed. However, every year there are numerous swimming pool accidents that cause personal injuries or death.
The following injuries are some of the most common pool injuries suffered by young children.
Drowning
Not surprisingly, drowning is the most common child injury suffered in a swimming pool.
Each year, according to the Children’s Hospital of New York, 300 children under age 4 drown in swimming pool accidents.
In addition, 2,600 children in this age group suffer personal injuries after a near drowning in a swimming pool every year.
Serious Injuries in Drowning Accidents
Drowning is a serious risk for children. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that drowning contributed to 30% of deaths for children under age 4 in 2005.
Children who nearly drown in swimming pool accidents typically have serious personal injuries.
The CDC reports that brain injury is the most common result of a pool injury.
Even if a child is revived at the scene or at the hospital, the risk of permanent brain damage increases the longer he goes without oxygen.
Brain damage sustained in a pool accident can lead to memory loss and learning disabilities. In the worst cases, a pool drowning can put a child into a permanent vegetative state.
Injuries Due to Faulty Pool Equipment
While drowning is the most common pool injury for children, the water itself is not the only danger lurking around swimming pools.
Many children are killed or injured each year by pool equipment.
Kids can become entangled in the hoses used to clean pools, leading to strangulation injuries. Children have also been injured when they become trapped in pool covers.
The drains and suctions of a swimming pool can also cause horrific child injuries.
- Such was the case with 7-year-old Abigail Taylor, who died as a result of a pool accident. Abigail was playing in a wading pool at a golf club, when she was sucked onto an open drain. The drain had such powerful suction that it tore out her liver, pancreas and 21 feet of her intestines.
- The World Health Organization has collected statistics on 15 similar pool accidents that resulted in disembowelment.
What To Do After Your Child’s Swimming Pool Accident
If your child has been injured or killed in a swimming pool accident, you should consult with a personal injury lawyer who 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 pool accidents.
Continue to Common Child Injuries from Swimming Pool Accidents (Part B) >>
