Drowning is the number one cause of death for children between the ages of one and four in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). For children between the ages of five and 14, drowning is the second leading cause of injury and death, just behind motor vehicle accidents.
Most fatal drowning accidents involving small children occur in swimming pools. Around 30 percent of those involving older children also happen in swimming pools. Some pools are private or in-home, but many occur in public or otherwise easily accessible locations.
Small children and children who are just learning to swim are at the highest risk of a drowning accident. Chances are increased exponentially when supervision is lacking. However, these risks can be mitigated by using pool fencing, particularly in private residences. According to the CDC, “A four-sided isolation fence which separates the pool area from the house and yard reduces a child’s risk of drowning by 83% compared to three-sided property-line fencing.”
What Are My Options?
No matter if a drowning accident occurs at a private or public pool, when it could have been avoided through safety measures, it is likely a premises liability issue. If the injury results from third-party negligence, you may be entitled to seek compensation for all related damages through a personal injury lawsuit. Kline & Specter, PC, provides free evaluations of drowning cases. The firm has 60 attorneyss, five of whom are also medical doctors – the most in the United States.
Kline & Specter has had tremendous success helping victims of drowning accidents get justice. Some of our most notable cases include:
- $24 Million for a three-year-old girl who suffered a brain injury after a drowning accident
- $6.6 Million for an eight-year-old boy who drowned at an unattended pool at summer camp
- $5.12 Million for a 16-year-old boy who drowned while on an unofficial school swimming trip
In addition to drowning-specific cases, we have secured significant verdicts and settlements for victims of injury in other premises liability claims as well, including $109 million for the family of a woman killed by a fallen electric line and $51 million for a child who lost his foot in an escalator accident. Skilled, experienced, and dedicated, our lawyers do everything possible to secure the total compensation our clients deserve.
We have offices in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, and Delaware. We work with firms outside these jurisdictions when appropriate.