Every year, thousands of adults die or sustain serious injuries in swimming accidents. Over 1,000 children die annually because of swimming-related tragedies. In just a few minutes and in less than two inches of water a child can drown.

It is the responsibility of private “backyard” pool owners to ensure that children and adults are in a safe environment that emphasizes swimming accident prevention. Putting up a sign that says “swim at your own risk” or “too shallow to dive” is not enough to protect adults and children from getting hurt or drowning. The manager of public pools, including pools in hotels and motels or community pools, also are responsible for ensuring patron safety.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reports that there are about 260 drowning deaths of children younger than 5 each year in swimming pools. About 77% of the victims had been missing for 5 minutes or less when they were found. Often when a child is drowning, it is silent with no warning of drowning such as a big splash or screams for help. Always look for a missing child in the pool or spa first. The majority of swimming pool injuries happen because a pool is improperly designed or dangerous, there is a lack of supervision, or a pool has been inadequately maintained. Entrapment, being held under water by a powerful suction from the pool drain, can also result in drowning and other injuries.

Here is a list of swimming safety tips geared toward preventing serious swimming-related injuries or deaths:

• Make sure that everyone in your home knows how to swim.
• Ensure that children and adults that enter the pool are knowledgeable about pool safety.
• Don’t let children enter a body of water, such as a river, a lake, the ocean, a pool, or the pool area or the beach unless a responsible person accompanies them.
• Make sure adults supervise their own children that are swimming.
• Do not swim while you are under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
• Enforce strict pool rules.
• Install the correct pool safety measures. A tall lockable fence or a sturdy pool cover can prevent children from going into the pool when there is no supervision.
• Make sure broken drain covers are replaced and install a safety vacuum release systems (SVRS), which can detect blockage of the drain and automatically shut it off.

The Philadelphia injury lawyers at Reiff & Bily are familiar with the serious injuries that occur during catastrophic swimming accidents. They have achieved successful case outcomes for many Pennsylvania swimming accident victims with traumatic brain injuries, head trauma, paralysis, spinal cord injuries, and other serious injuries.

If you or your child has been seriously injured in a swimming pool accident, you may be able to file a premises liability claim or lawsuit for damages against the pool owner. In Pennsylvania, it is the responsibility of the pool accident victim to prove that the owner was negligent and that this negligence was the cause of serious injuries and damages. Pennsylvania’s premises liability law is complex, which is why it is important that you retain the services of a knowledgeable and experienced injury lawyer that knows how to represent clients with swimming pool injuries or in wrongful death drowning cases.

Our Philadelphia injury lawyers at Reiff & Bily are committed to protecting the rights of serious Pennsylvania injury victims and their families. If you become one of our clients, we will provide you with the attention and resources necessary for us to successfully represent your premises liability or swimming accident case.

To schedule your free consultation with an experienced Reiff & Bily accident attorney, call (800) 421-9595 or contact us online.