Drowning and Swimming Pool Accident Lawyers in South Carolina
South Carolina’s mild climate and coastal nature offer an abundance of recreational opportunities. No matter how many precautions are taken, water-related accidents can and do occur. The South Carolina drowning accident lawyers at the Strom Law Firm, L.L.C., will advocate on behalf of victims of drowning. If your loved one drowned as a result of someone else’s negligent actions, you may be entitled to compensation. We stand ready to help you fight for fair compensation for your injuries.
Whether you or a loved one has been injured or even killed as a result of a:
- boating accident,
- jet ski accident,
- accidental drowning,
- defective safety equipment,
- inadequate warnings,
- negligent supervision or inadequate training of lifeguards or pool operators,
- swimming pool drain, or
- water park injury,
Insurance Adjusters
The insurance companies who most often defend water-related accident cases spend millions of dollars teaching their adjusters how to successfully deny claims. Do not let insurance adjusters take advantage of the situation by settling your claim for as little as possible. If you have been in an accident, it is important that you understand your legal rights. Our South Carolina accident attorneys can help you recover financial losses and give you peace of mind.
Pool Accidents Caused by Negligence
Many accidents and deaths occur due to the negligence of the owner or management company. Those responsible for maintaining the pool are required to provide adequate warnings and notice of the depth of the pool. Safety equipment must be available and in good condition. Fencing and pool alarms should be in place and working. Even with the proper safety mechanisms in place, a lifeguard on duty may have received inadequate training or simply not be paying attention. In the event of negligence, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries.
Pool Accidents Caused by Defective Design
The strength of the suction of intake drains have trapped children’s hair and clothing underwater resulting in deadly consequences. Similarly, defective slides and diving boards can cause injury resulting in lost wages and permanent disability.
Recovering from a Near Drowning Accident
Advances in medicine may save a near drowning victim from dying, but the reality is that the lasting effects of oxygen deprivation may cause brain damage. The effects of a near drowning accident depend upon the length of time their body was deprived of oxygen and can include loss of basic functioning, memory problems, and traumatic brain injury. According to the Automotive Safety Program, typical medical costs for a near-drowning victim can range from: $75,000 for initial emergency room treatment to $180,000 a year for long-term care; the cost of a single near-drowning that results in brain damage can exceed more than $4.5 million. In addition to mounting medical bills, a near drowning victim may be out of work and completely and permanently disabled requiring future medical care.
Drowning Prevention Tips
Proper prevention includes constant and close supervision of pool occupants (especially children) at all times. However, supervision is not enough on its own. Whether the result of lack of supervision or alcohol and drugs, near drownings, drownings, and accidental death can and do occur. The consequences of a drowning accident can include brain damage resulting from oxygen deprivation, spinal cord injuries, and other life changing and permanent.
Safety problems that can and do lead to accidental drowning and death include:
- Failure to fence a pool,
- Failure to install a pool alarm,
- failure to cover a pool or hot tub when it is not in use,
- lack of depth markers or other inadequate warnings; defective safety equipment
- strong currents,
- abuse of alcohol and/or drugs which creates an impaired ability to swim,
- failure to supervise and/or swimming alone, and
- dangerous drains that can trap body parts, hair, and drawstrings on clothing as a result of the strong suction.
Safety problems which may create liability can also include:
- dangerous drains which can trap body parts, hair, and drawstrings or clothing as a result of the strong suction,
- improper lifeguard training,
- pool operator negligence,
- defective safety gates,
- pool operator negligence,
- defective pool alarms, and
- defective diving boards or pool slides.
The Strom Law Firm recommends the following pool safety tips:
- If you have a large swimming pool, especially one sunk into the ground that you cannot take down, secure the area by surrounding the pool with barriers. A 4-foot high fence with a self-closing, self-latching gate will prevent most people from entering the area.
- When you are done using the pool, remove any ladders or steps used for access. Cover the pool, and consider installing a pool alarm.
- Maintain the pool water to that it is clean and clear. That way, you can see anyone in the pool.
- If children will be around the pool, make sure you or another adult are in their immediate vicinity. Never let children swim alone, even if they are older and know how to swim. Keep very young children within arms’ reach when they are in the water. Make sure adults who will use the pool with children know basic first-aid and pool safety rules.
- Establish and enforce rules around your pool such as the buddy system, no diving (especially in the shallow end of the pool), and walk, don’t run, because the area around the pool can be slippery.
- If you have a pool with areas too deep for you to stand up and be above water in, you should learn how to swim so you can be a safety monitor or helper for children who are swimming in the pool. Consider learning basic first-aid, as well.
- Keep a mobile phone near you while you are at the pool so you can call 9-11 in the event of a near-drowning or drowning accident.
The Strom Law Firm Represents Victims of Pool Safety Accidents
If you or a loved one have been injured, or a loved one has been killed at a public pool, you may be suffering long-lasting physical injury, temporary or permanent disability, lost work and wages, and emotional suffering. The South Carolina personal injury and wrongful death attorneys are here to help. We offer a free consultation to discuss your accident and to see how we can help you recover financially. 803.252.4800.
