Swimming Pool Accident Injury Attorneys in St. Louis

Swimming pools can be remarkably dangerous. Even if the people using the pool know how to swim, the chances of accidents around wet concrete and metal are far than most imagine, and if individuals in the pool don’t know how to swim, the chances of drowning are incredibly high.

Here are a few of the statistics surrounding swimming pool accident or drownings:

  • Drowning is the #1 cause of death for children between the ages of 1 and 4.
  • More than 50% of drowning victims require hospitalization or further medical attention following the accident.
  • 67% of drowning deaths involved children 3 and under.
  • 47 percent of children who have suffered injuries while swimming suffered those injuries in residential swimming pools.
  • Children under the age of 5 account for 76% of drowning deaths in the US.
  • 75% of drowning deaths regarding children 15 and under occurred at private swimming pools.

To learn more, give our St. Louis premises liability accident lawyers a call at (314) 208-2808 or CONTACT us online to schedule a free initial consultation.

What Factors Make a Swimming Pool Dangerous?

The CDC provides in-depth information regarding swimming pool accidents, what causes them, and how to prevent swimming pool accidents.

According to the CDC, factors that can lead to swimming pool accidents include:

  • Lack of swimming ability: Many adults and children report that they can’t swim. Research has shown that participation in formal swimming lessons can reduce the risk of drowning among children aged 1 to 4 years.
  • Lack of barriers: Barriers, such as pool fencing, prevent young children from gaining access to the pool area without caregivers’ awareness. A four-sided isolation fence (separating the pool area from the house and yard) reduces a child’s risk of drowning 83% compared to three-sided property-line fencing.
  • Lack of close supervision: Drowning can happen quickly and quietly anywhere there is water (such as bathtubs, swimming pools, buckets), and even in the presence of lifeguards.
  • Location: People of different ages drown in different locations. For example, most children ages 1-4 drown in home swimming pools. The percentage of drownings in natural water settings, including lakes, rivers, and oceans, increases with age. More than half of fatal and nonfatal drownings among those 15 years and older (57% and 57% respectively) occurred in natural water settings.
  • Failure to wear life jackets: In 2010, the U.S. Coast Guard received reports for 4,604 boating incidents; 3,153 boaters were reported injured, and 672 died. Most (72%) boating deaths that occurred during 2010 were caused by drowning, with 88% of victims not wearing life jackets.
  • Alcohol use: Among adolescents and adults, alcohol use is involved in up to 70% of deaths associated with water recreation, almost a quarter of ER visits for drowning, and about one in five reported boating deaths. Alcohol influences balance, coordination, and judgment, and its effects are heightened by sun exposure and heat.
  • Seizure disorders: For persons with seizure disorders, drowning is the most common cause of unintentional injury death, with the bathtub as the site of highest drowning risk.

Call The Dixon Injury Firm Today

If you or someone you care for has been the victim of a swimming pool accident, you need a lawyer who will take the case seriously and aggressively pursue the accident. Our knowledgeable personal injury attorneys in St. Louis can and will protect you and your family during this difficult legal process. During a swimming pool accident case, the responsible party, their lawyers, and the insurance agencies are going to try to get you to settle for as little as possible and attempt to place as much blame as possible on you. Protect your medical and financial interests by bringing in a member of our team to stand by your side.

The Dixon Injury Firm
9666 Olive Blvd #202,
St. Louis, MO 63132
Phone:(314) 208-2808