Massachusetts Personal Injury Library
Child Pool Accident Statistics (Part A)
While swimming is a popular and fun summer activity for children, a swimming pool can turn deadly in an instant.
Numerous child injuries are reported each year in conjunction with swimming pool accidents, resulting in injuries including:
- broken bones,
- permanent brain damage,
- neck or spinal cord injuries, and
- death.
Statistics on swimming pool accidents show that young children are especially vulnerable to pool injuries.
Child Fatalities in Swimming Pool Accidents
Drowning is the primary result of swimming pool accidents. According to Medscape.com, 1,500 children drown each year in a pool accident in the United States.
Toddlers and young male teenagers are most at risk for drowning in swimming pool accidents.
Many parents may not realize the danger swimming pools represent, but according to MedScape.com statistics, drowning causes 30% of all deaths for children under the age of 4.
For all children under the age of 14, drowning is second only to car accidents as the leading cause of death.
In addition, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has received reports of 200 child drownings in hot tubs and whirlpools.
While you may expect that most children who die in drowning accidents are unsupervised, the exact opposite is true. According to Safe Kids USA, 88% of children who die in swimming pool accidents were supervised at the time of the accident, either by a lifeguard, parent, sibling or family friend. Only 10% of child drowning victims were completely unsupervised.
Child Injuries in Swimming Pool Accidents
There are fewer statistics available for child injuries in swimming pool accidents, since many minor accidents go unreported. Children’s Hospital of New York estimates that 2,600 children are injured in near-drowning accidents each year, but that doesn’t include the many other injuries suffered in diving accidents, slips and falls, or pool drain accidents.
In addition, RevolutionHealth.com cites statistics showing that 5 children receive medical attention for swimming pool injuries for every 1 child who drowns. Using this formula, 7,500 children are injured in drowning-related pool accidents each year.
If Your Child Has Been In a Swimming Pool Accident
If your child has been injured or killed in a swimming pool accident in Massachusetts, you should immediately determine who is at fault for liability purposes.
Consult with a Boston personal injury lawyer that specializes in child injury cases in Boston, Massachusetts. It is important that the lawyer you choose has successfully handled child accident cases and understands the intricacies of pool accidents.
The Boston child injury attorneys at Kiley Law Group spend time with parents to learn about their child’s injuries so they receive the compensation they deserve to pay for the medical bills and treatment of their child.
Continue to Child Pool Accident Statistics (Part B) >>
