One of the best ways to beat the Las Vegas heat on a summer’s day is by taking a refreshing dip in a swimming pool. Unfortunately, swimming pool accidents can result in devastating injuries and even wrongful death. The good news is that the majority of swimming pool injuries are preventable through proper safety measures. In this blog, the Las Vegas injury lawyers at The Paul Powell Law Firm discuss liability in swimming pool accidents, types of common swimming pool injuries, and tips for pool safety.
Who Is Liable for Las Vegas Swimming Pool Injuries?
Under Nevada state law, business owners and homeowners are generally liable for swimming pool accidents that occur on their property. Under Nevada premises liability laws, unsecured swimming pools are considered an “attractive nuisance” to children, which means that the homeowners or business owners can be held legally responsible for accidents, even if they did not give the child permission to be in the pool.
If a swimming pool accident occurred at a public place, such as a hotel, there may be multiple parties held liable. These may include the hotel, the swimming pool operator, the lifeguard company, and various insurance companies.
Different sources of compensation may be available after your swimming pool or hot tub injury, depending upon where the accident occurred. Common locations for swimming pool liability accidents include hotels, apartment complexes, private and public pools, water parks, and public beaches.
Types of Nevada Swimming Pool Injuries
Different types of injuries can occur in or around a swimming pool, many of which can be attributed to negligence on the part of the pool owner or maintenance staff. Common pool accident injuries include:
- Diving Board Injuries: These injuries are most often caused by inadequate supervision or poorly maintained diving boards.
- Slips, Trips, and Falls: Slip and fall accidents occur frequently when materials used around the pool become slippery when wet.
- Suction Entrapment: When a swimmer is trapped by suction forces created by water flowing out of the drain, it can cause serious injuries to various parts of the body, as well as drowning.
- Submersion Injuries: Drowning can result in brain, pulmonary, or neurological damage. It can also lead to wrongful death. Drowning is a leading cause of unintentional death for children in Clark County. The most common drowning victims are four years of age or younger, and the majority of drowning deaths occur in the family pool.
- Water Slide Injuries: Yes, water slides are fun. But they are also pretty dangerous. Beyond just the potential for slide burn, water slides have caused some serious injuries, such as broken bones and spinal damage.
- Swimming Pool Chemical Poisoning: Pools use lots of chemicals to make sure the water is safe and clean enough for swimming. If the balance is off or the wrong chemicals are used, it can become really dangerous.
- Contaminated Pool Water: Despite all the chemicals used to keep pools clean, it turns out that when people don’t shower before getting in a pool, it gets contaminated with fecal matter. This can lead to various illnesses.
Southern Nevada Pool Code
The Southern Nevada Pool Code plays an important role in protecting small children from accessing backyard swimming pools and spas, and accidentally drowning. It requires pools to have layers of protection, such as fences, self-latching gates, and door alarms. The pool code is a valuable tool in helping keep children safe by preventing their ability to access bodies of water.
Many child-drowning victims were last seen safe inside the home, but somehow managed to let themselves outside and into the pool/spa area. The installation and proper use of barriers helps ensure that if a child does manage to get outside unsupervised, he or she will be unable to access the pool or spa and avoid a terrible accident.
Contact a Las Vegas Pool Injury Lawyer
The swimming pool injuries attorneys at The Paul Powell Law Firm hope that this blog has given you a better understanding of the various types of pool injuries and who is liable for damages. If you’ve been injured in a swimming pool accident caused by the recklessness or negligence of another party, then contact us for immediate assistance. Our team is available 24/7 to assist you.
You can reach The Paul Powell Law Firm by phone at (702) 728-5500, clicking the contact button above, or visiting our Las Vegas office. Our firm’s motto of “More Lawyer. Less Fee” is more than just a catchphrase; it’s a document promise that’s verified by the State Bar of Nevada. When you work with us, you can be assured of receiving high-level legal services from experienced attorneys that will never take more money than you receive. Reach out to us today to get the treatment you deserve from a personal injury lawyer.