Swimming Pool Accident Lawyers in Pittsburgh, PA

Despite federal swimming pool regulations being signed into law in 2007 and an associated safe swimming education and awareness campaign by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, drowning remains a leading cause of death among children in the United States.

Although many swimming pool accidents occur at private residential swimming pools, they can also occur at public swimming pools, even when lifeguards are present. Public swimming pools in Pennsylvania are regulated by the Pennsylvania Department of Health as well as county health departments throughout the state.

In addition, The American Red Cross and other similar agencies have made a tremendous effort to set out consistent guidelines for lifeguard best practices. Some of the most important questions to ask with any public swimming pool accident are:

1. What polices and procedures were in effect at the time of the incident?
2. Was there an Emergency Action Plan (EAP) in effect at the time of the incident setting out the procedure for responding to an emergency?
3. Did the personnel responsible for executing the EAP do what they were supposed to do?
4. Were personnel required to attend regularly scheduled in-service trainings to practice the EAP?
5. Were proper certifications held by those responsible for overseeing the safety of patrons at the pool?

Unfortunately, drowning isn’t the only risk associated with swimming pools—there are numerous ways you can suffer injuries in pools and hot tubs. They include diving board injuries, slip and fall accidents, submersion injuries and circulation entrapment injuries.

Common swimming pool accidents

Unfortunately, drowning isn’t the only risk associated with swimming pools—there are numerous ways you can suffer injuries in pools and hot tubs. They include:

• Diving Board Injuries: Nearly every list of swimming safety tips advises against diving into a swimming pool unless the water is at least 6 feet deep and there is a sign present stating the activity is permitted. Even so, hundreds of swimmers need to seek medical attention each year after suffering traumatic brain or spinal cord injuries after a dive gone wrong.
• Slip-and-Fall Injuries: With all the splish-splashing around, the areas around a pool or hot tub may get wet and slippery, causing someone to fall and suffer injuries ranging from bruises to broken bones.
• Submersion Injuries: Near drownings can cause serious and sometimes lifelong traumatic brain injuries, as well as significant and sometimes permanent pulmonary and neurological damage.

Circulation Entrapment Injuries: Circulation entrapment injuries happen when a swimmer is trapped by suction generated by water rushing out of the drain of a pool or hot tub. The nature of these injuries can be severe—including disembowelment and amputation.

Before we meet, please try gathering the following information to assist in our evaluation of your claim:

1. An accident report.
2. An overview of your medical history since the accident.
3. Medical bills.