Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog
The end of the school year is a good time to talk to your children about swimming pool safety. Chicago swimming pool accidents occur almost exclusively between Memorial Day and Labor Day and speaking with children about safe swimming is a good way to get the summer off to a safe start.
Drownings and near drownings are complex medical and legal cases. In particular, long-term issues with dexterity, coordination and cognitive ability are possible in near-drowning victims and may not be readily apparent following an accident. Tragically, children are the most frequent victims. If you are dealing with a drowning or near-drowning accident, the Illinois swimming pool accident attorneys and the Chicago child injury lawyers at Abels & Annes offer a free and confidential appointment to discuss your rights.The Illinois Department of Health has adopted strict safety standards and guidelines for the owners of residential and commercial swimming pools. The Illinois Swimming Pool Safety Act (210 ILCS 130) also outlines requirements for safe pool operation.
In particular, water parks, hotels, and other community swimming pools have an obligation to ensure the safety of guests. The state requires that Illinois’ 3,500 swimming pools meet water-quality and safety standards, as well as safe design and engineering standards. Additionally, an increasing number of accidents involve faulty pool equipment, including drain covers, which can lead to very serious or even fatal entrapment injuries.
The Consumer Products Safety Commission has launched a nationwide Pool Safety Campaign aimed at reducing the number of fatal swimming pool accidents involving small children.
-Each year an average of 385 children younger than 15 are killed in swimming pool accidents in the United States — nearly 4 in every 5 cases involve a young child under the age of 5.
-In the last three years, emergency rooms have treated an average of 4,200 cases involving pool or spa submersion injuries to children under the age of 15.
The following swimming pool safety tips are provided by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
-Never leave a child alone near a pool.
-The adult supervising children near a pool should be trained in CPR.
-All pools should be protected by a gated fence or other enclosure.
-Rescue equipment and a telephone should always be kept near the pool.
-Do not use air-filled swimming aides as a substitute for approved safety vests.
-Toys should be removed from the pool area when not in use so children are not tempted to enter the pool area.
If you are dealing with an Illinois swimming pool accident, the Chicago injury lawyers at Abels & Annes offer free and confidential appointments to discuss your rights. Call (866) 99-ABELS. There is no fee unless you win.