What should you know about swimming pool accidents?
Swimming pool accidents in Texas become more frequent during the hot summer months when temperatures rise. To cool off, many families enjoy outdoor swimming in pools. However, there are risks that come with swimming, which can result in nonfatal and fatal drownings.
How do swimming pool accidents in Texas occur?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), some of the most common factors underlying swimming pool accidents include:
- Inability to swim. Not knowing how to swim or not being able to swim very well can increase the chances of drowning. If you take swimming classes and become a better swimmer, it helps eliminate this risk.
- Lack of effective supervision. Especially with children, when supervision is lax, swimming pool accidents can occur. This is true at a private pool in someone’s home as well as public pools.
- Unfenced or poorly fenced pool areas. Locked fences can keep young children from accessing pools without the owner’s awareness. The best types of fences have four sides. They protect children and reduce accident risks by 83% and are more effective than pools that children can access from inside the house.
- No use of life jackets. For those who aren’t good swimmers or who don’t know how to swim, life jackets can prevent drowning.
- Alcohol use. Alcohol affects a person’s judgment and makes them take risks they would not otherwise take. Not to mention that balance and coordination are often poor when under the influence.
- Drug and prescription medications use. The same is true for drugs and prescription medication use, which also increase the risk of drowning. In particular, psychotropic medications decrease motor skills and clear thinking. Such drugs are often prescribed for bipolar disorder, anxiety, depression, schizophrenia and other conditions.
Do you need legal help with a swimming pool accident?
The Law Office of Michael R. De La Paz helps victims of swimming pool accidents where someone else was at fault for the accident. We handle many different types of injury cases for clients from McAllen, Corpus Christi, South Padre Island and other locations throughout Texas. Our firm also represents clients nationwide, in California, Arizona, New Mexico and other states.
Arrange a free consultation to discuss your potential case.
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