Sacramento Swimming Pool Accident Lawyers - California Wrongful Death Attorneys

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Sacramento Swimming Pool Accident Lawyers

California Wrongful Death Attorneys

IT TAKES LESS THAN 5 MINUTES AND UNDER 2 INCHES OF WATER FOR A CHILD TO DROWN

Swimming accidents claim the lives of over 1,000 children each year and accidents in swimming pools account for over 1/3 of the fatalities. Thousands of adults will also die or suffer catastrophic injury as a result of swimming mishaps.

Owners of private "backyard" pools have a responsibility to provide a safe environment for children and adults alike and need to focus on accident prevention. Some of the essential safeguards listed below are based on common sense and should be implemented immediately by every pool owner.

1. Do not accept the responsibility of pool ownership until you have successfully completed a CPR training course.
2. Make sure everyone in your household learns how to swim and is knowledgeable in pool safety.
3. Never allow anyone, child or adult, swimmer or non-swimmer, to enter the pool unless a responsible person is accompanying them.
4. Never leave an accessible pool unattended. Remember, a child can drown in less than 5 minutes.
5. Never leave swimming toys in the pool. They are too inviting for a young child.
6. Insist that your adult guests supervise their children at all times.
7. Never let intoxicated guests enter your pool.
8. Remove the diving board from your private backyard pool. The risk of injury is too great.
9. Surround your pool by a fence of no less than 5 feet in height and make sure that the gate is equipped with a self-closing lock positioned beyond the reach of children.
10. Cover your pool when it isn't in use.
11. Keep essential life saving gear accessible, visible, and in proper working condition.
12. Never assume that "floaties" and other floatation devices will protect you from drowning.
13. Install an alarm system on the gate or pool to warn you that the pool area has been entered. You can also purchase wrist alarms for your children that will set off a signal if your child enters the pool.
14. Develop a list of pool rules and insist that every one knows them and follows them.
15. Make sure your homeowner's insurance policy includes coverage that will protect you against liability lawsuits resulting from swimming pool injuries.

Don't rely on posting signs such as "swim at your own risk", "too shallow to dive", etc., to protect you against a lawsuit. Your swimming pool may be considered an "attractive nuisance" which means that people, especially children, will find it too tempting to resist. You must realize that anyone who is injured in your pool, even if they are trespassing, may have the legal right to file a claim against you for any damages resulting from injuries received while in your pool. It is, therefore, crucial that your homeowners' insurance policy specifically acknowledges the existence of a pool and protects you against any liability - regardless of the circumstances.

Public pools such as community pools and hotel/motel pools are also subject to the same guidelines. If you have been injured in a swimming pool accident, you may be able to file a "premises liability" claim against the responsible party of any pool if you can prove the following:

1. They were negligent.
2. Their negligence caused an injury.
3. You were damaged as a result of the injury.

If you want to know where you can get swimming lessons in your area, check out this site.
http://clubswim.com/swimming-lessons.asp

Also surf the net for "swimming safety". There are hundreds of sites that provide informative and valuable information on this topic.