Category: Swimming Pool Accidents

Arizona, especially the greater Phoenix area, is unique from many other parts of the nation because of its desert weather. While some parts of the country enjoy summertime weather seasonally, Phoenix sees weather that others would deem “summer” nearly year-round. Though it may get cold during the nighttime, it usually warms up during the day and when it actually is summer, the weather can be a scorcher.

To deal with this heat and to take advantage of the positive aspects of Phoenix’s weather, numerous houses, towns, clubs, and public areas have swimming pools for the use of children and adults alike. Taking a dip can lead to an instant cool down and can turn a miserably hot day into one of pure enjoyment. But unfortunately, every year, swimming pool accidents happen in the Valley and they leave victims injured or even killed as a result.
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Many in the Valley consider this time of year to be one of the best to call Phoenix home because the weather is so pleasant and days where the temperature hits triple digits are relatively rare. But with the late spring weather comes some potentials for dangers, and chief among them may be the threat posed by swimming pools in Arizona. The state has a very high ratio of private pools per individual home and also has a number of public pools accessible to numerous residents of the Valley. As such, swimming pool accidents pose a threat to many in Phoenix and not just those with small children.

The laws governing swimming pools and access to them leave little wiggle room because they are designed to keep adults and children as safe as possible. They vary somewhat depending on where in the Valley the pool is located but several requirements remain consistent: pools must be enclosed by a fence, wall, or otherwise; usually the gates that allow access to the pools must be self-latching; and pools should not pose an unreasonable threat to safety.

Despite these requirements, swimming pool accidents and drownings happen annually and result in numerous injuries and deaths. If you or your family member has been the victim of a pool accident or if someone you love was killed in a swimming pool, you may be entitled to obtain financial compensation for your losses and damages, though no amount of money can ever be adequate when someone loses their life. Consulting with a Phoenix personal injury attorney can help you understand your rights and what steps may need to be taken to get the relief you deserve.

Tragedy struck in Phoenix yesterday afternoon when a four-year-old boy was found unresponsive in a swimming pool. The child was pulled from the pool by a teenager who began CPR and emergency crews were notified. EMS officials transported the child to an area hospital but unfortunately, his injuries were too extreme and the boy lost his life as a result.

Authorities have confirmed that there was no fence or alternative barrier around the pool area though they have not stated whether that is in violation of laws in the area. At this time, it appears that the child was under the care of a family friend and not his parents when the friend, an adult, lost track of the child and he presumably entered the pool.
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For most in Phoenix and across the Valley, school is back in session and summertime activities have officially come to a close. But unlike many other areas of the country, the swimming season is still alive and will be for many families for months to come. With a large number of private homes in Phoenix utilizing private swimming pools and many others taking advantage of public pools across the Valley, time in the water is common for many adults and many children.

Unfortunately, along with the fun that comes with hitting the water, risks also are present when a child uses a swimming pool. Swimming pool accidents occur every year in Phoenix and the surrounding metro areas and they leave children seriously injured or even dead. The damages done by these accidents cannot be erased and some families will suffer for a lifetime due to these incidents but the financial toll may be eased through the use of a civil claim. A civil claim can help a family recover funds to cover the monetary damages experienced by these incidents including the medical and rehabilitative bills that may be incurred. Consulting with a personal injury lawyer who represents children and minors in Phoenix may help you understand whether your family or your loved one has a valid claim for relief.

Around 5:00 p.m. yesterday, a mother in Mesa reportedly called 911 after finding her 20-month-old toddler submerged in a backyard swimming pool. Officials responded to the scene and provided emergency medical care to the child while transporting the toddler, a girl, to Cardon Children’s Medical Center. At this time, the toddler is unable to breathe on her own and is listed in critical condition with doctors unsure of the child’s prognosis.

Local officials investigated at the scene of the near-drowning which occurred on West Naranja Avenue and they believe that the adult in charge of watching the child lost track of her for a few minutes. During that time, officials believe the child walked into the garage and through an exterior garage door that led to the backyard. There, a fence surrounded the swimming pool but it appears that the latch may have been broken or may have not functioned as designed and therefore did not prohibit the toddler from accessing the water. Though no determinations have been made, authorities believe the child could have been submerged for up to 15 minutes in the water before she was found.
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Depending on the area of Phoenix in which you live, it is possible that more of your neighbors have a pool than those who do not. Swimming pools are very common in the Valley whether they are present at a private home, an indoor swimming area, or even a public outdoor pool. During the warm seasons in Arizona, may adults and children alike take to the water to cool off and get some relief from the heat.

While pools are a great way to relax and even get some exercise, they pose a significant threat to safety of those in the area. Annually, several children in Arizona drown in swimming pools and other bodies of water across the state. Still even more children become injured or harmed in swimming pool accidents. These incidents can devastate an entire family and leave damages that are far reaching, including financial damages for medical expenses incurred and pain and suffering. The victims of these pool accidents may be entitled to seek financial compensation for their injuries under the laws of Arizona and in the event that a child is involved, his or her parents may also have a claim. Speaking to a personal injury lawyer in Phoenix may help you understand your legal options if you or your child has been hurt in a pool incident.

Local authorities were alerted to the scene of a pool accident on Saturday involving a 15-year-old male. Local firefighters received a call about a teen in a pool for an unknown period of time and responded to a private home in the area of Beardsley and 28th Street between 9:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. When officials arrived, the teen was not breathing and was unresponsive as he was transported to an area hospital for emergency treatment. Though the male was placed on advanced life support, his injuries were too severe and he died as a result of the incident.

According to officials, the teen was in the pool with friends when the friends lost track of the boy only to find him underwater and unresponsive some time later. That is when authorities were called to help.
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During an average summer in Arizona, multiple children drown in swimming pool accidents, and many more suffer injuries in the water. In many cases, a swimming pool may not be adequately secured, allowing unauthorized access to the water and drawing in children who want to cool off from the heat. In other cases, the pool may be designed in an unsafe manner, leading to an unreasonable risk of drowning to all those using the pool. And yet in still other cases, inadequate supervision leads to children entering the water and unable to get out on their own.

When a child is injured in a pool incident, it may be difficult to know where to turn for help. A personal injury attorney in Phoenix who has experience representing those who have been injured or killed in a swimming pool may be able to help you understand your family’s legal options, including whether a civil claim for damages is available. If a claim is possible, your child may be able to recover compensation for medical expenses incurred, pain and suffering, and even future damages if they exist. In the most tragic cases where a child loses his or her life, the child’s parent or parents may have a claim for their damages, even though no amount of compensation can ever be adequate when a child is killed.

Firefighters in Glendale were called to an apartment complex on Monday night in the area of 59th Avenue and Beardsley after teens reported that someone was unresponsive. When they arrived, officials found that a 16-year-old male had been swimming with some friends in a pool on the apartment’s premises when the teen went underwater and did not resurface. Reportedly, the teen’s friends pulled the teen from the pool and performed CPR until paramedics arrived but the injuries were too severe and the teen was pronounced dead shortly thereafter.

Officials are still trying to determine the factors that led to the teen’s drowning.
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It is late in the swimming season in Phoenix, a common time when parents and adults let their guard down around water and are lax about the water-related concerns that are present when children swim. But the fact that kids have been swimming for a few months this year does not lessen the likelihood of a drowning occurring. Water attracts children and can be a safe environment for recreation but it can turn deadly in a matter of moments.

Every year, multiple children die in Phoenix area swimming pool accidents due to accidental drownings. Often, these accidents would never have occurred if the proper safety guards were in place or if adult supervision was present. When negligence or recklessness on the part of a swimming pool owner or operator is the reason that a child downs or suffers a near drowning, the child and his or her parents may be entitled to legal relief for their losses, including proper compensation to cover for any medical expenses. Speaking with a lawyer who represents the victims of swimming pool accidents and drownings may help you understand whether you have a valid claim, and if so, whether your family is entitled to relief.

Police in Phoenix were called to an apartment complex this week after a near drowning of a three-year-old girl. The incident took place near 43rd Avenue and McDowell where several parents and children were reportedly enjoying a community pool. One adult allegedly offered to watch a friend’s three-year-old child while watching her own two children in the pool. The adult lost track of the friend’s child, mistaking the girl for another in the pool. By the time the adult realized the 3-year-old was missing, the girl was underwater at the bottom of the pool.

Adults in the area removed the girl from the water and performed CPR until paramedics arrived on the scene. EMS workers transported the girl to Phoenix Children’s Hospital in extremely critical condition following the incident; her current status is not clear at this time.

Officials believe that three children, including the victim, were sharing a non-lifesaving flotation device known as water wings, something experts have cautioned against as they can provide children with an invalid sense of safety in deep water.
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Swimming pools are a common site in Phoenix and across the valley. The warm temperatures year-round makes pools a desired addition to many households and can provide a nice way to cool off in the summer months. Though pools are popular with residents of all ages, their popularity is particularly high among adults who either have young children or who care for young children on a regular basis. Many children love to swim and it can be a great way for kids to get exercise while spending some time outdoors.

Unfortunately, though, having a swimming pool also presents a serious risk to swimmers of all ages. Swimming pool accidents are responsible for numerous injuries and several deaths in Phoenix alone every year. And of all the victims of swimming pool accidents, young children are particularly vulnerable to accidental drownings.

When a property owner, caregiver, or operator of a local public or private pool fails to take appropriate steps to ensure the safety of others, they may be held to be liable for any injuries that result from the use of their pool, whether the victim was an intended user of the pool or a trespasser. In fact, all pool owners owe a duty to act safely and to comply with local laws regarding the use and protection of their pools. In Phoenix, this includes the use of fencing with latching gates and other measures that are designed to keep small children away from pools without adult supervision. Failing to protect others from a pool can leave the owner legally liable for the damages caused by the pool including any medical bills incurred by a victim or even the loss suffered by the family of a victim who drowns.

Tragically, authorities have reported that a two-year-old boy drown in a backyard swimming pool in Anthem yesterday. They believe that the boy was underwater for nearly 5 minutes before he was found and pulled out of the pool, at which point he was unresponsive. Paramedics were called and transported the child to an area hospital but he did not survive, despite efforts to perform CPR on the child after he was removed from the pool.
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Phoenix and the surrounding cities are known nationally for having a large number of public and private pools, a fact also known to most members of the community. With the scorching heat of the summer and the temperate climate during the spring and fall, swimming pools can be a great way to relax and cool off for a while as well as a great source of exercise. But swimming pool accidents occur in Phoenix more often than most would like. Tragically, several of these incidents result in the death of child or adult every year.

But for the first time in a long time, there appears to be some good news out of Maricopa County. Total swimming pool related deaths in 2013 decreased from those that occurred in 2012, suggesting that a greater emphasis on safety may be reducing the number of tragic accidents. Deaths among young children as well as deaths among teens and adults were all down, nearly to the levels they were in 2000. The population has grown dramatically since 2000 so the decrease in deaths translates to an even greater reduction in the percentage of the population affected by those deaths.

Any decrease in accidental deaths is a good thing for Phoenix and for the residents in the surrounding communities but as long as swimming pool incidents continue to claim any lives, there is still more work to be done. There is no one factor that causes every death or serious water-related injury but there are some common factors that everyone should keep in mind when in the vicinity of a pool.

Children are at a high risk of drowning because they lack the needed skills to swim safely by themselves. This means that adults should always watch children when they are near water, even if the child is not actively swimming or should not be swimming. Water attracts children of all ages and if there is a way to get into a pool, a child will likely find it.

Even adults who know how to swim should still exercise caution around a pool. It is a good idea to never swim by yourself in case of an emergency and to make sure that your ability to swim is not compromised in any way. In many adult drownings, prescription drugs, illegal drugs, or commonly alcohol play a factor. Removing those substances from the picture is a good way to ensure that everyone remains safe.
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Most parents take their roles as guardians and caretakers of their children very seriously, making sure their kids get healthy meals, attend school, and are safe from danger as they go through their days. Yet even the best parents cannot be with a child at every moment, leaving many to seek the help of a family member, friend, or employee to assist with childcare.

Those that are trusted with the responsibility of caring for a child are legally required to do just that, obligating them to keep the child from danger. But unfortunately, too often children are not watched closely enough around swimming pools or other bodies of water, leading to a situation where a child may suffer a serious or even fatal injury while in the care of another or while in another’s home.

Though swimming pool injuries are often thought of, water in even small amounts can be dangerous to children. In fact, a young child can drown in only a couple of inches of water contained in a bucket. Kids are naturally attracted to the water but lack the skills to play safely, putting them at a high risk of drowning regardless of where or how they encounter the water. Injury lawyers see this happening all too often.

This appears to be what happened in Glendale yesterday at a private home near 75th Avenue and Union Hills. Emergency responders learned that a three-year-old boy walked outside of a home and to a pool in the backyard. Reportedly he climbed a small barrier and entered the water.

When others at the home found the boy, he was at the bottom of the pool and unresponsive. Adults started CPR and called paramedics who transported the boy to Phoenix Children’s Hospital where his condition was listed as critical. It is not known how long the boy was underwater before he was found by adults.

Swimming pool injuries can affect people of all ages but children are more likely than adults to remain submerged underwater for extended periods of time or to drown. Unfortunately, Arizona experiences several drowning-related deaths every year, due in part to the large number of private and public pools in the area as well as the large number of young children who use those pools.
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In a season already hit hard with tragedies, officials have reported another near drowning involving a child in a Phoenix pool. The pool at issue is located near 60th Street and Bell Road and was being used by four young children at the time. Officials have indicated that the adults at the home lost track of one of the children, a 7-year-old boy, who was described as not a strong swimmer. By the time anyone noticed, the child was at the bottom of the pool and unresponsive.

The children in the pool ranged between ages five and 11 and had reportedly been swimming for hours in the morning. They all took a break for lunch and then entered the pool again. Though the victim in this near drowning may have been wearing a type of floatation device described as “water wings” that morning, he was not wearing them when he was found at the bottom of the pool.

The boy was pulled from the water and emergency crews transported him to an area hospital where he remains in critical condition. The boy did not live at the home with the pool but was visiting it with one of his parents present, according to the fire department.

Valley children have been involved in large number of pool-related accidents this year. Swimming is always a popular activity but when the weather stays above 100 degrees for days at a time, some families take to the pool even more often. Drownings and near drownings are unnecessary accidents that can be completely prevented with the right safety aids, pool fencing, and adult supervision.

Children of any age should always be supervised when in or near water. Though many people think of drownings as happening to infants and toddlers, as this case illustrates, any child can become a victim in mere moments if the proper supervision is not present. Additionally, any child who is not a strong swimmer should be provided with floatation devices that are designed to preserve life, like a life jacket or life preserver. Leaving an inexperienced swimmer in the water for even a moment unsupervised can be the difference between life and death.
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