Denver Swimming Pool Injury Lawyers
Was Your Child Hurt at a Pool or Spa in Colorado? Call Us
Having a swimming pool is a big responsibility. Unintentional drowning is a leading cause of death in the United States; claiming about ten people’s lives every day, two of them children under the age of 14. Pools are considered “attractive nuisances” for their ability to entrap children, and states have passed legislation that requires pool owners to put up fences and other safeguards to keep uninvited visitors out.
Leventhal Puga Braley P.C. believes that any negligence is inexcusable in this setting, and our Denver personal injury attorneys aggressively pursue justice for the families of swimming pool injury victims. Call (877) 433-3906 to speak to our team. There is no upfront cost to have us represent you, and we will not stop until we have made the negligent parties pay.
Injuries We Handle
Bodies of water are inherently dangerous to humans, so individuals and companies who offer them as “entertainment” have a duty to keep their guests safe. This is true whether the pool is private or public, a hot tub or a waterpark with wave pools and slides. When pool owners fail to obey federal and state laws and take common-sense measures to protect their guests, injury victims have the right to file lawsuits to seek compensation. Our Denver-based law firm has seen many injuries and fatalities related to:
- Drowning: Adult supervision is necessary, and lifesaving equipment vital. It can take only seconds to drown, and minutes for irreversible brain damage to set in. Public pools must have lifeguards to watch for any signs of danger, and take immediate action in the event that someone is struggling to stay afloat. Any failures to contact emergency services, begin CPR, or retrieve the victim from the water in time are inexcusable.
- Legionnaires’ disease: Legionnaires’ disease is a severe form of pneumonia caused by legionella bacteria. If a facility, frequently a hotel or a cruise ship, has failed to clean and disinfect its water system, this bacteria can grow. The bacteria is inhaled and can lead to serious health conditions including respiratory failure, septic shock, or acute kidney failure.
- Sanitation: Commercial pools are more likely than residential pools to become contaminated with bacteria, but without the proper sanitation, both can cause recreational water illnesses (RWIs) in swimmers. Chlorine is the main chemical used for this purpose, but pool owners can help prevent waterborne bacteria, viruses, and parasites by having users shower before getting in the pool. E. coli, cryptosporidium, giardia, and norovirus may be present and cause gastrointestinal distress, and other germs spread by water can affect a person’s skin, ears, eyes, lungs, and cognitive functions. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommendations to prevent RWIs, and pool managers must also comply with state and local ordinances. If they fail to do so, they can be held liable to the victims.
- Diving: Children do not know any better than to jump or dive in the water excitedly, and if the pool does not have signs warning against diving in shallow water, or have some way to prevent patrons from performing unsafe behavior, like jumping on top of other swimmers, the pool’s owner can be held liable.
- Electrocution: Water amplifies electric currents. Any defective underwater lights; electrical equipment like pumps, filters, vacuums, or power washers; fallen overhead powerlines; or plugged-in extension cords leading to outlets or switches can be lethal. The Consumer Products Safety Commission has recorded over 21 deaths since 2002 due to electrocution, and electrical injury can be devastating to the internal organs and skin, often leading to burns and scarring. Lights and pool equipment should be checked by the pool manager, and electronics should be removed from the area.
- Suction: Pool drains, without a safeguard, can create a great deal of suction, equal to 500 pounds of weight in certain residential pools. The Virginia Graeme Baker Pool & Spa Safety Act requires all public pools and spas to have drain covers or grates to prevent entrapment (flat drain gates and single main drain systems carry the most risk). Long hair, body parts, jewelry, and clothing can be pulled into a drain with a faulty or missing cover. The suction can keep someone underwater long enough to drown, or even cause evisceration injuries.
- Falls: Slick surfaces, trip hazards, and bare feet combine to make pool decks inherently risky, and pool owners need to take extra steps to prevent the resultant injuries: deep lacerations, broken bones, and head trauma. There should be signage warning of slip hazards, and the supervisor or lifeguard on duty must enforce the rules. Failure to maintain a reasonably safe environment is grounds for a personal injury lawsuit.
Who May Be Held Liable?
Depending on the actual cause of the injury, we may find:
- The property owner or management
- Pool staff or lifeguards
- The pool installer
- Inspectors or maintenance staff
- Equipment manufacturers
Partially or wholly liable for what happened, and we will file a claim against all liable parties to get the maximum compensation available. Our nationally acclaimed attorneys have many notable successes with difficult cases.
Contact a Denver Premises Liability Attorney Now
If you or a loved one was injured at a pool, contact Leventhal Puga Braley P.C. at (877) 433-3906 to set up a no-cost consultation and explore your legal rights. We handle personal injury and premises liability cases throughout the United States. There are time limits to file a claim after any injury, so the sooner you talk to us, the better.
Additional Information
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877-433-3906