Legal and Safety Considerations After a Swimming Pool Accident
Swimming pool accidents can occur in any size swimming pool and at any time. It is crucial for pool owners to make sure the pool is as safe as possible whether it is in use or not and to minimize the potential for an accident to occur. If an accident does occur, it’s important to find out why it happened, who is liable for it, and what can be done to prevent it from happening again.
Determine How the Accident Occurred
Once the person is out of the water and has received medical attention, it is a good idea to look into how the accident occurred. Speak with witnesses to find out what happened and how the person was injured. Did someone fall into the pool that couldn’t swim? Was someone injured jumping into the pool? The victim of the accident or a loved one may want to seek help from Romanucci and Blandin Law to determine what happened, how it happened, and whether it’s possible to get compensation from the liable party to help cover medical and related costs for the victim.
Determining Liability for the Accident
Once it is determined how the accident happened, it’s possible to look into liability. The most common party held liable for swimming pool accidents is the pool owner, as they should take all precautions necessary to prevent injuries. However, there are situations where another party may be liable, including the following.
- Pool Cleaner – If the injuries occurred because of improper chemicals in the pool or an issue being able to see into the pool, the cleaner could be liable.
- Pool Manufacturer – If the injuries occurred because the pool was not built properly or the design is inherently flawed, the manufacturer may be held liable.
- Pool Repair Company – If the pool was recently repaired and the repairs were not done correctly, causing injuries to someone in the pool, it’s possible the repair company could be held liable.
Safety Precautions to Prevent Future Accidents
Pool owners will want to take the time to make sure they take precautions to prevent swimming pool injuries in the future. Learning how the accident happened can help with this, but there are other ways to prevent accidents, too.
- Have a Fence Around the Pool – A fence around the pool can prevent small children from getting in it when no one is watching.
- Hire a Lifeguard When Needed – When there will be a lot of people at the pool, it might be helpful to hire a lifeguard.
- Have Proper Supervision – If there isn’t a lifeguard, there should be someone providing supervision of the pool.
- Enforce All Pool Rules – Pool rules should be created to keep everyone safe and should be enforced to help prevent accidents from happening.
- Keep the Pool Well Maintained – The pool should be properly maintained and inspected or tested before anyone goes swimming.
Swimming pool accidents are mostly preventable, but it takes thinking about why they happen and what can be done to prevent them. If you are a pool owner, take the time to think about the possible accidents that can occur in the pool and what you can do to prevent an accident from happening and someone being injured or killed. Taking steps today can help keep everyone safer.
