Boston Swimming Pool Injury Attorneys
Swimming can be an excellent source of both entertainment and exercise. However, when swimming pools are not properly maintained or monitored, swimming pool injuries can become a dangerous problem. Unfortunately, numerous swimming pool injuries occur each year in Massachusetts, often because a property owner was negligent or reckless in some way. But the attorneys of Crowe & Harris, LLP can help injury victims both better understand if they have a legal case against a property owner, and also how to take action to get financial compensation if they do have a case.
Most Common Swimming Pool Injuries Cases
There are, of course, numerous ways that a swimming pool injury can occur, but some injuries and accidents seem to occur more often than others. For example, four of the most common swimming pool injuries cases include:
Drowning
Thousands of families suffer a loss each year due to a loved one drowning. While many of these cases are accidental, some are due to a negligent party. After losing a loved one to drowning, families must grieve and emotionally recover from their loss. In cases of near drownings, the victim is often unable to make a full recovery because of the brain damage associated with the accident. Burdensome medical fees often accompany brain injuries resulting from drowning injuries.
Types of Negligence that Cause Drowning
Though negligence is not always the cause of drowning, there are multiple types of negligence that can cause drowning or near drowning to occur. Some examples of negligence that can lead to drowning include the following:
- Lack of a lifeguard or lack of properly trained lifeguards
- Negligent operation of a pool or waterway
- Using physical force to drown someone
- Faulty flotation devices
- Unmaintained swimming areas
- Boating accidents
- Not adhering to swimming pool regulations
If you believe that any of the above circumstances caused the drowning of your loved one, please contact a lawyer because your family may be entitled to compensation.
Diving Board Injuries
Unfortunately, one of the most dangerous parts of many swimming pools are the diving boards, which lead to injuries when people use them incorrectly. While diving boards can be perfectly safe when installed correctly and supervised regularly, reckless behavior and negligent maintenance around a diving board can cause serious injury. Although they are a popular addition to many pools, diving boards can be a liability if used unsafely. For example, they are often found with pools where the depth of the water is too shallow to ensure a safe plummet into the water; this makes the likelihood of sustaining a serious injury while using a diving board very high.
Within premises liability law, owners of a public pool that includes access to a diving board have a responsibility to give adequately posted warnings that detail when it is safe and unsafe to use the diving board. If a diving board is on private property, owners of the residence have a responsibility to their licensees—guests using the pool—to warn them of pool hazards that may not be obvious, such as a loosely-screwed-in diving board or slippery plank. If these precautions are not adhered to, property owners that house a diving board can be liable for any injuries that may occur.
Poorly maintained diving boards can present a significant hazard to children and adult pool patrons alike. When irresponsible pool owners fail to appropriately warn guests of any dangers surrounding diving boards, they can be held accountable for any personal injury that could result from improper use. At Crowe & Harris, LLP , our impassioned personal injury lawyers understand that swimming pool injuries can lead to missed time at work, lost wages, and a prolonged recovery period. If you were the victim of a property owner’s negligence, our knowledgeable swimming pool injury lawyers may be able to advocate on your behalf.
Common Diving Board Injuries
Injuries that may result from a diving board accident tend to be substantially harmful because of the harsh impact that comes with landing wrong, slipping, or hitting the edge of the pool. Common diving board injuries include, but are not limited to:
- Broken bones
- Nerve damage
- Spinal cord injury
- Neck injury
- Mild to traumatic brain injury
- Paralysis
Particularly, there is a significant danger in diving into a pool that is not deep enough to sustain a head-first dive. While safety regulations warn swimmers that diving is unsafe at a depth of fewer than ten feet, the depth of most public and private pools do not exceed six feet.
These incidents happen all over Massachusetts and can leave victims with injuries as well as costs for treatment. But an experienced personal injury attorney may be able to help victims fight for compensation if a property owner is found to have been negligent in maintaining or monitoring a swimming pool.
Regulations for Public Swimming Pools
Both state governments and the federal government have set requirements and safety standards to which public pools are legally required to adhere. Unfortunately, many public pools lack the oversight or funds to make changes required to keep the pool safe. Some of the regulations put in place by the government include the following:
- Drain cover installation to prevent deaths due to high suction
- Fencing around the pool with a locked gate to prevent people from falling in
- Proper signage displayed around the pool
If you feel that your loved one was a victim to drowning or near drowning because of a faulty pool, spa, or hot tub, you may be eligible for compensation.
Contact a Swimming Pool Injuries Lawyer in Boston
If you or someone you love has been hurt in a swimming pool accident, the attorneys of Crowe & Harris, LLP want to hear your story.
Contact our office in Boston today by calling (617) 404-3417, and learn more about how we can help you through this difficult time.
