Call a Riverside swimming pool accident attorney at 951-530-3711 to schedule your free consultation if you have suffered injuries in a negligently caused swimming pool accident.
California Swimming Pool Accidents: Victims’ and Families’ Legal Options
Swimming pool injuries can have disastrous results, from sprains and chemical burns to serious brain and spinal cord injuries. Poor maintenance, shoddy pool equipment, insufficient fencing or barriers, and inadequate supervision are frequently blamed for these mishaps.
Property owners, such as hotels and private citizens, must guarantee their visitors’ security and take all reasonable measures to keep them secure. You may be able to pursue legal recourse if you or a loved one was hurt due to improper safety equipment, careless pool maintenance, or other dangerous circumstances.
Our knowledgeable and experienced accident attorneys are available to advise you on prospective claims, assisting you in comprehending the specifics of your case and potential settlements.
We deal with many different types of swimming pool accidents, such as those that involve:
- Accidents involving diving
- faulty pool equipment, such as filters or electricity.
- Burns caused by improper use of pool chemicals
- Insufficient or nonexistent lifeguards
- Insufficient self-closing gates or fence>
- Incidents of falls and slips near the swimming area
- Negligence supervision
- Property owner negligence
From current laws to property owner obligations, we know the intricate interplay of variables and are here to help you navigate the legal system.
During your free consultation, we will inform you of your rights and determine if your case qualifies you for compensation for your swimming pool injuries.
- Over $900M won
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Riverside Swimming Pool Accident Lawyer
Questions to Ask a Riverside Swimming Pool Accident Attorney
Hiring the right kind of lawyer is essential to success in getting top financial compensation. By asking the right questions upfront, you’ll have a clear understanding of the process and time required to negotiate a good settlement.
- How much experience do you have handling swimming pool injury cases specifically? Look for extensive expertise with pool accidents and cases like yours.
- What types of pool accident cases have you handled, and what were the outcomes? Ask about their success record and specific examples of past pool injury cases.
- Are you familiar with pool codes and regulations in my state/region? They should know relevant pool laws and regulations.
- What will your investigation process look like? Find out what steps they’ll take to build a strong case, such as inspecting the pool, interviewing witnesses, obtaining medical records, etc.
- How often have you tried pool injury cases in court if my case goes to trial? Choose someone with plenty of trial experience specifically for pool accidents.
- Who in your office will be handling my case? Make sure you’re comfortable with the lawyer and legal team that will be working on your case.
- What are all the costs I can expect? Get a clear overview of legal fees, filing fees, expert witness charges, and any other costs associated with a pool injury case.
Call our law office to speak with a Riverside swimming pool accident lawyer today. The consultation is free.
Award-winning Riverside Swimming Pool Accident Attorneys
Bisnar Chase has been a trusted legal team for over four decades, winning almost one billion for our clients with a 99% success rate.
Rated year after year as one of America’s best law firms and the top 1% of award-winning litigators in California, you can trust our legal team to work hard for you to get the best compensation in your accident case.
Contact a Riverside swimming pool accident attorney at Bisnar Chase to have us evaluate your case. There is no cost if we don’t win your case.
Meet Our Legal Team
What Percent Do Personal Injury Attorneys Get From My Case?
In California, the contingency fee basis is about 33 1/3 percent. Attorneys practicing personal injury law can charge up to 40% but most don’t unless it’s a very complex case requiring many resources.
At Bisnar Chase, you will never pay your lawyer directly, the attorney fees come from the settlement proceeds. We also work to put all your medical bills on a lien so that you don’t pay them until the case ends. We negotiate medical costs on every claim to put more money in your pocket.
Typical Costs in a California Pool Injury Case
- Filing Fees: Filing fees are associated with initiating a lawsuit, such as fees to file the complaint, motions, etc. These tend to run several hundred dollars or more.
- Service of Process Fees: To formally serve legal documents to defendants, you may need to pay a registered process server. Fees are around $50 and up per defendant served.
- Discovery Costs: Taking depositions, obtaining medical records, etc., involves court reporter fees and records fees. The expenses vary from case to case.
- Investigation Expenses: A private investigator may be hired to photograph accident scenes, interview witnesses, etc. Fees of $50-$150/hour are common.
- Expert Witness Fees: Experts may be retained to analyze evidence, calculate damages and help prove your case.
- Medical Evaluation Costs: Independent medical exams to assess the extent of your pool injuries.
- Trial Exhibits: If the case goes to trial, presentation boards, models, animations, and other evidence exhibits can cost hundreds or thousands of dollars.
- Miscellaneous: Other potential costs include travel, photocopies, postage, courier services, etc.
It’s important to thoroughly discuss costs with your attorney so you can anticipate and prepare for them. However, the ultimate goal is a substantial settlement or award that covers more than the expenses. To determine if you have a personal injury claim, call our experienced Riverside swimming pool accident attorneys today.
How Long Will My Swimming Pool Accident Case Take?
The length of time can vary widely depending on how complex the case is. Your lawyer will negotiate with insurance companies and defense lawyers, so expect a lot of back and forth.
A personal injury claim can take anywhere from a few months to a few years, depending on how severe the injuries were.
If your attorney moves quickly to settle your case, they are not fighting hard enough for you. In our firm, 2-3 attorneys review each settlement offer to ensure no money is left on the table.
What Compensation Should I Demand in a Riverside Swimming Pool Accident Lawsuit?
Several factors determine what compensation you should demand in a Riverside swimming pool accident lawsuit.
- Medical expenses include any expenses related to ambulance transportation, hospitalization, surgeries, medications, physical therapy, etc. Make sure to include current and estimated future medical costs.
- Lost income: If your injuries prevent you from working, calculate the wages you have and will lose due to the accident. Support this with pay stubs, tax returns, and documentation from your employer.
- Pain and suffering: You can claim damages for physical pain, mental anguish, loss of enjoyment of life, etc., resulting from the near-drowning or drowning accident. The amount varies based on the severity and duration of your suffering.
- Wrongful death damages: If a family member died due to the pool accident, you can claim loss of companionship, income contribution, and other applicable damages.
- Punitive damages: If gross negligence caused the accident, you may be awarded extra punitive damages.
Consult with your Riverside swimming pool accident attorney to ensure you seek full and fair compensation based on California laws and court precedent in your specific case. Be prepared to justify your claimed damages with evidence. The total compensation amount can be considerable depending on the accident’s severity.
Devastating Injuries in Swimming Pool Accidents
For every child who dies from swimming pool drowning, another five receive emergency department care for nonfatal submersion injuries. More than half of drowning victims treated in emergency departments require hospitalization or transfer for further care.
These nonfatal drowning injuries can cause severe brain damage that may result in long-term disabilities such as memory problems, learning disabilities, and permanent loss of basic functioning, putting victims in a permanent vegetative state.
The worst part about all of these cases is that they may be related to the owner’s negligence and, thus, 100 percent preventable had the property owner taken the time to ensure the safety of others.
If you think you may have a case, call us today and speak with one of our swimming pool accident attorneys in Riverside with a free consultation.
How to Prevent Swimming Pool Accidents
For most of the year, residents enjoy poolside parties and gatherings in Riverside. But with the luxury of enjoying a swimming pool comes the danger of these premises liability cases.
Proactive safety measures can make your pool experience a fun and safe time. However, not all pool owners share the same sense of importance concerning pool safety.
Parents can experience emotional pain and suffering when a pool accident occurs. Children are particularly vulnerable, but people of all ages can suffer due to pool incidents. Swimming pool accidents generally fall under the umbrella of premises liability cases, resulting in serious injuries and fatalities for all ages.
This is why our attorneys have provided the tips below to help you and your loved ones spot the warning signs and how you can prevent a swimming pool accident:
- Install a safety fence around your pool. In most cases, it is required by law.
- Post safety signs. This is required for all public pools in California. This is optional for private pools but is strongly encouraged.
- Install adequate lighting if the pool will be used at night or in dimly lit situations
- Keep a list of emergency contact information near your pool. This list should include 911, your local police station, and any other emergency services you deem appropriate.
- Always have a trained, experienced lifeguard on duty. It is important to have someone near the pool who knows CPR and is CPR certified in case someone drowns or passes out.
- Know the limit of how many people can be in your pool at once.
- Keep nearby pool pavement as dry as possible. Display wet floor signs if deemed necessary. It is better to be proactively safe than to have someone slip and fall and injure themselves on your premises.
What Makes Southern California Swimming Pools So Dangerous?
Owning property with a pool is a major responsibility, and if an injury occurs, a parent or guardian can file a claim. Pools can pose a significant threat to safety, whether located at a hotel, school, water park, or private home.
Swimming pools mainly present serious dangers for young children who are inexperienced swimmers. Toddlers are especially at risk of wandering away, slipping into the pool, and drowning without a sound.
Children, even intermediate or advanced swimmers, should be carefully supervised when in a pool. It takes a few seconds for a child to slip underwater and drown. Swimming pools are silent killers, and that is what makes them so dangerous.
Riverside Swimming Pool Accident Statistics
Drowning is the third most common cause of accidental death or wrongful death in the United States, causing almost 8,000 deaths each year. Experts estimate that there may be 600 near-drowning incidents for every reported drowning death.
- According to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), drowning is a leading cause of injury-related deaths among children under the age of five in California.
- The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has reported that California consistently ranks among the top states for pool and spa drownings.
- A study by the CDPH found that for every swimming pool drowning death, there are about 5-10 non-fatal drowning incidents that require hospitalization.
- About 75% of pool drowning deaths for young children occur at home pools.
- Most young child drownings happen when a child was last seen in the home and had been out of sight for less than 5 minutes.
These statistics highlight the importance of pool safety measures. Would you like me to elaborate on any specific aspect of this data or provide information on pool safety recommendations?
Near-drowning refers to survival after suffocation by submersion. Those who are five or younger are most at risk of near-drowning. Although victims survive these accidents, near drowning can result in catastrophic injury, such as irreversible brain damage.
This type of injury occurs when the oxygen supply to the brain is cut off due to submersion. Hypothermia or lower body temperature could also lead to heart arrhythmia when a person is submerged.
Drowning Deaths in Small Children
How Can We Make Swimming Pools More Safe?
Young children are the most vulnerable to swimming pool accidents, and Riverside is no exception. One can take several measures to prevent these types of tragedies from happening.
First and foremost, if you have yet to install a pool fence for your pool, do it now. Experts say it is an effective tool for preventing accidents. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a four-sided fence that separates the pool on all sides from the house and the yard reduces a child’s risk of drowning by 83 percent over a three-sided fence that runs along the property line.
You can’t avoid having wet surfaces around your pool. They come with the territory. However, you can reduce the risk of a slip-and-fall accident by using any number of different anti-slip products that are available.
There are adhesive pads and paint-on coatings that can give a better grip. You should also make sure that your drains are updated. The drains in your swimming pool produce significant suction to keep your pool water continuously circulated and filtered.
“Pool entrapment” occurs when a swimmer’s body, hair, or clothing becomes entangled in a drain or grate. Although it doesn’t happen often, it can become a serious or life-threatening incident.
You can significantly reduce the risk of pool entrapment by ensuring that your drain covers are in good repair and in compliance with California Law. Vacuum release systems are also available as safety features that will automatically turn off the suction when a blockage is detected.
In the video below, the Mesa Fire and Medical Department, on 12 News Today, discuss the dangers of outdated and unsafe drain covers in pools, spas, and hot tubs.
Always have a well-stocked first-aid kit and a rescue-grade flotation device accessible and ready to use. Have a phone nearby with the address of the house displayed on it.
It can save a lot of time if someone has to call 911 in case of an emergency. It also helps to take CPR lessons. It’s a skill that can save lives in crisis situations.
Last but not least, never underestimate a child’s curiosity when it comes to pools. It helps to have not just one safety feature, but layers of protection when it comes to keeping young children away from pools.
Pool fences, gates that lock, alarms, and safety pool covers can all help. Clear pool areas of toys so that children are not attracted to the area. Still, nothing is a substitute for the watchful eye of a responsible adult. No child should be allowed in the pool unsupervised. If you or a loved one has had a drowning or near-drowning accident contact a top-rated Riverside pool accident attorney for a free consultation. There is no obligation.
Contact Our Riverside Swimming Pool Accident Attorneys
If your loved one has been seriously injured or even died due to the carelessness of a pool owner, call our Riverside swimming pool accident lawyers at 951-530-3711 for your free case review and consultation. If you qualify for compensation, our law firm will fight for you and make recovering from your accident as easy as possible.
We operate on a contingency fee basis, so there is no fee if we don’t win your accident case.
With over 46 years of representing Riverside and the Inland Empire, we understand the pain and frustration you are currently going through and we want to do everything we can to help you in this time of need.
If you are looking for top-notch legal representation, call us at 951-530-3711 for a free consultation.
