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Were You Injured in a Swimming Pool Accident?

The scorching heat of Las Vegas makes swimming one of the city’s most popular pastimes. For most of the spring and summer, tourists and locals flock to the pools of nearby resorts, casinos, and friends. Unfortunately, this inevitably leads to more safety risks and swimming pool injuries. This is especially true for young children, as about 20 percent of drowning victims are under 14 years old.

The injuries sustained in a swimming pool accident can range from scrapes and bruises all the way to brain damage, paralysis, or death. The more severe the injury is, the greater effect it will have on your overall quality of life. For that reason, it is imperative that pool accident victims find legal and medical help as quickly as possible. At Van Law Firm, our Washington swimming pool injury attorneys can help expedite your reimbursement and get you the treatment you need.

For a free legal consultation with a pool injury lawyer serving Washington, call (360) 200-0000

Swimming Accident Causes

There are innumerable factors that may cause a swimming pool accident, including but not limited to:

Pool coverings: Pool and spa areas that are not properly protected or covered can become a big injury risk for home and property owners, especially if there are children around.
Bad lighting: Any swimming area with poor visibility has an increased risk of accident.
Safety measures: If the safety equipment (life preservers, ladders, etc.) is inadequate or not present at all, the liability risk can be massive.
Wet surfaces: In all swimming areas, there is constantly water everywhere, which makes for slippery surfaces.
Inadequate safety personnel: If the staff member(s) tasked with safety supervision are not sufficiently trained, it puts all swimmers at risk.

Potential Injuries

With regards to swimming pool accidents, there are many more possible injuries than just drowning, including:

Diving Board Injuries
Swimming Pool Slide Injuries
Slips and Falls
Pool Toy Entrapment
Suction Entrapment
Electrocution
Pool Drain Injuries
Chemical Irritations and Injuries

Washington Pool Injury Lawyer Near Me (360) 200-0000

Public vs. Private Liability and Lifeguard Requirements

Public

When hotel or casino owners admit paying customers onto their premises, they shoulder a higher expectation of care than usual, as these patrons are considered “invitees.” Legally, property owners are expected to:

Keep sufficient, competent safety personnel on staff
Swiftly remove any risks or dangers
Conduct regular inspections
Ensure all equipment is maintained correctly and operated according to code
Actively search out any potential hazards
Warn patrons about anything that is being fixed (signage, warnings, etc.)
Amass any resources needed to operate pool safely
Plan for emergency situations and conduct trainings
Draft and develop emergency plans

A large component of all public swimming pool accidents has to do with lifeguards and whether or not they followed the correct regulations. All swimming facilities that admit unsupervised children 14 and under and have a pool surface area of 2,000 square feet or more must keep lifeguards on staff, and at least one guard must be on site whenever the pool’s capacity is at 80 percent or more. Shifts should be arranged so that no guard is on active watch duty for more than 60 straight minutes at a time.

Simply employing lifegueards does not absolve property owners from liability, as distracted or improperly trained safety personnel reverts back to the responsibility of the company. All lifeguards should always be in position to follow the 10/20 rule, meaning that they are able to recognize a problem within 10 seconds and respond to it within another 20. As such, lifeguard towers must be shaded and positioned above the pool at a height that allows guards to see the entire swimming area as well as the bottom.

There is also a safety equipment checklist that every facility must comply with, which includes:

A neck and spine injury board with head immobilizers and straps
A rescue throwing device approved by the Coast Guard
A 12 to 16-foot reaching pole
Personal protective equipment such as latex gloves, bandages, and resuscitation masks

When a swimmer is injured at a casino or hotel, the liability may fall on multiple different parties, such as the hotel itself, any outside lifeguard companies, safety equipment manufacturers, or numerous insurance companies.

Fortunately for swimmers, almost all hotels and casinos have abundant security cameras that can record video footage of any accident. However, the footage is cycled out periodically, meaning that injured swimmers should find a trusted personal injury attorney as quickly as possible so that all evidence is preserved.

Private

When homeowners invite guests over for the purpose of swimming, they are considered “licensees”– which is slightly less of an obligation, but still an obligation nonetheless. As such, there is a responsibility to ensure that the swimming area is safe and free of potential dangers. There is also an obligation to address any potential risks that guests may encounter, such as loose railings, defective diving boards, etc.

Additionally, proper barriers or railings should be installed, primarily for childrens’ safety. Under Washington law, uncovered swimming areas are considered as “attractive nuisances,” which means that they are likely to attract children, whether intentionally or unintentionally. As part of this provision, homeowners can still be held responsible for an accident involving children, even if the child/children used the swimming pool without the homeowner’s consent.

If the homeowner in question is insured when a claim is filed, his or her insurer will take over litigation. If the plaintiff is victorious, the insurer will pay the damages up to the extent allowed by the policy of the homeowner. If the costs exceed these limits, the plaintiff may sue the homeowner individually to make up the difference.

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Washington Swimming Pool Injury Attorneys

If you were injured in a swimming pool accident as a result of the negligence of a home or property owner, contact the Washington swimming pool injury attorneys at Van Law Firm today to see what your case may be worth with a free and confidential consultation.

We can help you recover several forms of compensation, such as lost wages, pain and suffering, and medical reimbursement. With nearly 500 5-star reviews online, we have a long list of satisfied clients– will you be the next?

No obligation consultations are always free.

Let Us Help You! Call Now: (360) 200-0000

We are available 24/7

Client Testimonials

These guys are amazing. Helped me throughout the process. Always there when I need help. Inititailly called a law firm (the one that has lots of ads on the radio), but they declined my case. Van Law Firm accepted my case without a second thought! Kudos to Daniel, my case manager, and Amanda who expedited my payment process. Highly recommended.

Milby Mags

Got in an accident at the beginning of the year and they have been awesome, especially with it being my first accident and me being like this. They have been very communicated, stayed in contact with me the whole time, giving me updates when there were any and even when there weren’t and answered any question I had. I would recommend them to anyone. Everyone I have talked to there has been very friendly. I would give them a 10 out of 10.

Ethan Gullet

They made sure that my insurance company covered what I paid for them to which included the gap for my car that was totaled. My medical costs were taken care of and reduced substantially so I was able to get more on my settlement. My case manager, Will Garcia, was always helpful in assisting me and answering any questions I had. They really did an amazing job with my case. I would definitely recommend them to anyone in need of this type of legal help. Most lawyers do not help you with the recovery of the car and rental etc. They are amazing.

Teresa Cuthbertson