Florida Swimming Pool Accidents

Florida is known for its warm weather and abundance of swimming pools, but unfortunately, these swimming pools are also the source of hundreds of deaths and injuries every year. Young children are especially affected, and Florida ranks high among US states for young child drowning deaths. If you or a loved one has suffered an injury due to someone’s negligence regarding swimming pool safety, it’s essential to understand your rights and options. In this blog, we will discuss the most common causes of swimming pool accidents in Florida and your available legal options following an injury.

Common Causes of Swimming Pool Accidents

It has long been known that swimming pools are a source of potential danger, with some of the most common accidents being:

Lack of Supervision Causing Drowning: Children and inexperienced swimmers should swim only when supervised by a responsible adult. Drowning can happen quickly and silently, even if the victim knows how to swim. Many harmless scenarios on land, like a quick dizzy spell, can be disastrous when they occur in a pool.

Slip and Fall Accidents: Slip and fall accidents are also common, as pool decks can become slippery when wet and dangerous if left unmaintained by the owner. If the area immediately outside a pool has uneven or cracked tiles, uncontrolled algae or plant growth, or sudden elevation changes, pool-goers can easily lose their footing and fall, causing injury.

Diving Accidents: Paralysis and other nerve damage conditions are common injuries in backyard swimming pools that have unclear or unmarked changes in pool depth. Diving accidents are similar to slip and fall accidents and may occur when nonoptimal conditions cause the diver to lose their footing immediately before attempting a dive. Always check pool depths before diving or jumping into a pool.

Water Quality Illnesses: Swimming pool owners are responsible for keeping the water inside the pool just as safe as the outside construction of the pool itself. Pool water will become dirty, full of plant and bacteria growth, and unsafe for humans if left untreated. However, excessive chemical treatment may too result in unsanitary or caustic conditions for swimmers. Hiring a professional pool cleaning company can ensure pool owners have water free of harmful bacteria and below the threshold of chemicals that cause harm to humans.

Electricity Accidents: More common in backyard pools that are close to an outdoor deck or patio, injuries may occur when electricity and pool water meet. While splashing water onto an outlet or dropping a Bluetooth speaker into the pool are obviously dangerous possibilities, many necessary parts of a pool system, like pumps, require electricity and might cause injuries if their plastic housing or wires are damaged. If you have wiring close to your swimming pool, be sure to have it inspected by a licensed electrician.

Possible Compensation For Backyard Accidents

Florida law has requirements for pool owners designed to prevent as many of these accidents from occurring as possible. However, laws alone are not enough to stop some people from cutting corners on safety precautions, and some of these cost-saving measures, when cut, can cause significant harm to unlucky victims. If you or a loved one were injured in a swimming pool due to a negligent pool owner, you may be entitled to receive compensation for:

• Medical expenses
• Lost wages
• Pain and suffering
• Disability or disfigurement

Each case is different, but you deserve representation that puts as much manpower as possible into your lawsuit to fight for every dollar you are owed.

At Hale Law, we are dedicated to helping the victims of personal injuries, and we never get paid unless we win you money in a settlement or court verdict. Contact us today to set up a free initial consultation.