What Kinds of Injuries Can You Sustain in a Pool Accident?

Pools are a great place to be in the summer, but swimming pool accidents are especially dangerous. Because these accidents involve water, there is also the additional risk of drowning. All told, the kinds of injuries associated with pool accidents tend to be very serious. If you or someone you love has been injured because of a property owner or manager’s negligence in a pool accident, don’t wait to consult with an experienced South Carolina pool accident attorney.

Drowning

The Mayo Clinic shares that drowning refers to when you cannot get oxygen into your lungs as a result of being under or in water, and it can be fatal. Drowning is often described as a silent killer because victims are unable to voice their distress in the moment. People who survive drowning, however, can suffer dangerous aftereffects that can also be fatal. When a pool is involved, the threat of drowning is very real.

Broken Bones

Many pool-related injuries involve slipping and falling on the deck around the pool. Water tends to make surfaces slippery and slipping and falling on concrete surfaces is exceptionally dangerous. One of the injuries most common to slip and falls is broken bones, which are not only slow to heal but are also exceedingly painful. When a break is complicated, it can require extensive surgeries and the need for ongoing medical care. A break that fails to heal correctly can become permanently debilitating and can lead to chronic pain.

Paralyzation and Other Spinal Cord Injuries

Many pool accidents are related to diving accidents and other accidents on diving boards. These accidents generally involve the head, neck, or shoulders, which means they are closely associated with dangerous spinal cord injuries. If the spinal cord is severed, it leaves the victim paralyzed, which is a life-altering injury that requires extensive and ongoing medical treatment and care and often leads to the need for assistance with the tasks of daily living.

Traumatic Brain Injuries

Pool accidents that involve falling into the pool or crashing into the pool’s walls can lead to life-threatening traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). These injuries can have serious psychological consequences that can follow you into your future, and many victims suffer a debilitating and traumatizing altered sense of self.

Pool Drain Entrapment

When pool drain and filter systems aren’t safely maintained and covered, they can injure or even drown swimmers.

Common Causes of Swimming Pool Accidents

Those who own or manage swimming pools, private or public, owe those who swim in them a serious duty of care, and when they fail to live up to their responsibilities, it can result in dangerous pool accidents. Some of the most common breaches of this duty of care include:

• Failure to post clear signs regarding the depth of the water or where diving is not permitted
• Failure to post clear signs regarding the pool’s safety rules, including no running
• Failure to post clear signs stating when lifeguards are on duty (or if there are no lifeguards at all)
• Inadequately trained staff
• Failure to safely maintain the pool and its parts
• Inadequate lighting around the pool
• Lack of or inadequate safety equipment
• Damaged or missing pool ladders
• Damaged, defective, or improperly installed diving boards
• Failure to maintain adult supervision in private pools

Fatal or life-altering swimming pool accidents can happen in the blink of an eye, which makes it essential to remain hyper-vigilant and to put safety first whenever you are poolside.

The Law of Attractive Nuisance

Swimming pools are naturally kid magnets, which means that children are drawn to them in spite of the fact that they are also endangered by them. Because children do not have the capacity to identify and avoid the dangers posed by pools, South Carolina has a law that addresses these so-called attractive nuisances. Pool owners are responsible for taking the necessary precautions to protect children from dangers that attract them, such as swimming pools.

Premises Liability Claims

If you or someone you care about is injured in a swimming pool accident that was caused by the negligence of a swimming pool owner or manager, it falls under premises liability law, and the following basic elements must apply in order to bring a successful claim:

• The pool owner owed you a duty of care, such as if you were invited to a pool party at a friend’s home or if you visited the pool at the hotel where you were staying.
• The pool’s owner failed to live up to this duty of care, such as if the pool were inadequately maintained.
• This breach in duty of care caused you to be injured, such as if you slipped and fell on a tripping hazard that was left near the pool.
• You suffered legal damages (losses) because of your injuries.

Together, these make up the necessary components of a premises liability claim.

Your Damages

If you have been injured in a swimming pool accident that was caused by someone else’s negligence, you can seek compensation for the damages you suffer.

Medical Expenses

The medical costs associated with your injuries can be considerable, including:

• Emergency medical care
• Surgery
• Hospitalization
• Pain management
• Treatment from doctors and specialists
• Physical therapy
• Rehabilitation
• Prescription medications
• Home healthcare

Serious injuries often require ongoing medical attention.

Lost Wages

The time you spend healing will likely correlate with hours lost on the job, which can translate to lost earnings and even to a diminished capacity to earn. Further, the career track you’ve set for yourself may be disrupted.

Pain and Suffering

The physical and emotional pain and suffering associated with swimming pool accidents can be immense and recovering from this psychological toll can be especially challenging.

Turn to an Experienced South Carolina Pool Accident Attorney for the Legal Guidance You Need

The accomplished pool accident attorneys at McCravy Law in South Carolina are committed to putting the full force of their extensive experience to excellent use in defense of your rights and pursuit of your rightful compensation. For more information, please don’t wait to contact or call us at 864-388-9100 today.