Whether your kids love to swim in outdoor pools in the summer or indoor pools year-round, swimming is one of childhood’s most joyful and memorable activities. But beneath the fun and relaxation lies a serious reality: swimming pool accidents happen far more often than they should and the consequences can be devastating. Understanding the risks, and what to do if an injury occurs, is essential for every parent.
If your child was injured in a swimming pool accident, reach out to an experienced, local swimming pool accident attorney for help. An injury lawyer can review the accident and explain your legal rights. If you decide to hire a swimming pool accident lawyer, they will guide you through the claims process, gather the necessary evidence, and advocate on your behalf to pursue the compensation your family deserves.
Child Swimming Pool Accident Statistics
The most recent swimming pool accident statistics show the risks involved with children swimming or being near swimming pools without proper fencing or supervision.
Data from the CDC shows:
- More children ages 1-4 die from drowning than any other cause of death.
- Drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury death for children ages 5-14.
The latest findings from the 2024 U.S. Consumer Product and Safety Commission (CPSC) drowning and submersion report shows the stark reality of swimming pool accidents:
- In 2020, 339 children younger than age 15 fatally drowned.
- In 2021, that figure rose by 12 percent with 380 children fatally drowning.
- Children five years old and younger are especially vulnerable – this age group represents 75 percent of child drowning deaths and 77 percent of nonfatal injuries.
These sobering statistics highlight just how quickly a preventable tragedy can occur and underscore the importance of vigilant supervision and proper safety measures when it comes to swimming pools.
Determining Liability in Swimming Pool Accidents
Understanding who may be held accountable in a swimming pool accident is a critical first step in protecting your child’s rights and pursuing the compensation your child and family may need to recover. But, determining who is responsible is not always straightforward because liability may rest with multiple parties. In many cases, liability may involve the municipality or organization that operates the pool, the lifeguard who works for the pool, or a homeowner.
- If unsafe conditions at a municipally operated pool contributed to an accident, the government entity responsible for maintaining and overseeing the facility may be held liable. When a government entity is liable, injury claims can involve unique rules, shorter filing deadlines, and specific legal procedures that a personal injury attorney can help with.
- If a swimming pool accident results from unsafe conditions at a pool owned by a private organization (such as a YMCA), the injured party would typically file a claim against the organization responsible for owning and operating the facility.
- If an on-duty lifeguard at a public pool fails to perform their responsibilities due to negligence (such as working while intoxicated) they may be held liable for the accident. In these cases, the plaintiff would typically file a claim against the lifeguard and the public entity or organization responsible for operating the pool.
- If the swimming pool accident happened at a private home pool, then the injury claim would be filed against the relevant home insurance or rental insurance policy.
Whatever the circumstances of your child’s swimming pool accident, a swimming pool accident attorney can help.
How a Personal Injury Attorney Can Help
A personal injury lawyer can help by thoroughly investigating the accident, identifying all potentially responsible parties, and gathering the evidence needed to build a strong claim. An experienced attorney understands how to deal with insurance companies for home insurance claims and navigate claims against government entities and private organizations to pursue compensation for medical expenses, future care needs, pain and suffering, and other losses. Having legal guidance allows parents to focus on their child’s recovery while protecting their family’s legal rights.
Contact a Child Injury Lawyer Today!
A child injury lawyer can help you recover a full and fair settlement for the injuries sustained to your child caused by the negligence of another. We know the sneaky strategies used by insurance companies to get injured people to agree to settlements far below what they are worth. There are no up-front costs to you to file a claim and our clients typically end up with a settlement or jury award that is five to ten times larger than they could have negotiated on their own. We have been representing residents of Whatcom County, Skagit County, Island County and Snohomish County who were injured in Washington State since 1979. Contact the experienced and hard-working child injury lawyers at Tario & Associates, P.S. in Mount Vernon, WA today for a FREE consultation!
