Swimming Pools and Premises Liability
Summer’s heat is ramping up, so families everywhere are taking advantage of their pools! While time at the pool is one of the only ways to get through the hot Texas summer, owning a pool is a significant responsibility. In addition to maintaining the pool, pools are also an added liability. Here are a few things you should know about swimming pools and premises liability.
Most Common Swimming Pool Injuries
When a person thinks of the risks of owning a swimming pool, drowning is often the first one that comes to mind. However, numerous other injuries occur around swimming pools, including:
- Slip and fall injuries
- Electrocution
- Infections
- Entrapment underwater
- Chemical burns
- Broken teeth
- Spinal cord injuries
Thankfully there are also plenty of ways that homeowners can make their pool environments safer and lower the risk of injury.
Steps to Lower the Injury Risk of Swimming Pools
- Ensure there is a fence at least 4 ft. tall around your pool – A fence makes it more difficult for young children to fall into the pool or get in unsupervised.
- Self-closing gates – It is easy to forget to close the gate every time you leave the pool. So a self-closing gate ensures that cannot happen. Also, make sure your gate’s latch is too high for small children to reach.
- Use a pool cover – Make sure you use and secure a pool cover after each use. Every added safety precaution lowers the risk of owning a pool.
- Learn CPR – Be sure that all members of your household know how to perform CPR. Believe us; this could save lives.
- Check the rescue equipment – Make sure that all the required equipment is where it is supposed to be at all times and is in good working order.
- Install a pool alarm – Pool alarms are alarms that go off when the pool water is disturbed. Pool alarms are the perfect tools to notify you the instant someone gets in the water in conjunction with a pool cover.
Significant Factors in Swimming Pool Liability Cases
If you or a loved one were injured at a swimming pool, there are factors to consider when filing a lawsuit.
- Who was responsible for pool safety – To establish negligence, the plaintiff must prove that someone owed them a duty of care. In Texas, the owner of a private pool owes all guests some duty of care. In a public pool, the lifeguards are legally responsible for the safety of swimmers.
- Who owns the pool – Typically, the owner of the pool will be the defendant. If the injury took place at a private pool, finding the owner is not too difficult. However, if the pool was public, figuring out who the owner is can be difficult.
- Texas Pool Safety Requirements – Different laws dictate the minimum safety requirements for public and private pools in Texas. Therefore, pool owners are liable for injuries at their pools due to their failure to meet said requirements.
Personal Injury Attorneys In Frisco, TX
If you or a loved one were injured at a pool and believe the owner’s negligence is to blame, you need a Frisco, TX personal injury attorney. The attorneys at Reynolds & Reynolds have decades of experience and the knowledge required to link the injury to the pool owner’s negligence. Find us on social media to learn more about our services, or contact us at our Frisco personal injury law office today for your free consultation. There will be no attorneys’ fees unless we obtain financial compensation for you.
