With social distancing requirements easing after this past spring’s coronavirus-induced quarantine, more and more pool owners are hosting swimming pool parties. If you haven’t already, you may soon find yourself invited to a pool party by a neighbor, friend, coworker, or family of one of your children’s classmates.

Taking a dip in a refreshingly cool pool can be a fun way to pass a summer day. However, swimming pools can also be the sites of serious injuries and even deaths.

Common Swimming Pool Injuries

Swimming pool injuries may be the result of a slip and fall. These types of injuries can result in a variety of injuries including:

  • Cuts and contusions
  • Concussions
  • Broken bones
  • Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
  • Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
  • Getting trapped in pool drains
  • Contracting a water-borne illness from improper pool care
  • Sustaining chemical burns from over-chlorination of a pool

Unfortunately, some swimming pool accidents also result in deaths as a person falls in a pool unnoticed and quickly drowns.

What Does Virginia Law Say About Pool Ownership?

Virginia has very detailed laws that pool owners must follow. These include regulations regarding:

  • Pool electrical and plumbing systems
  • Fencing around pools
  • Alarms
  • Locks
  • Covers for in-ground pools, above-ground pools, and hot tubs

All pool owners – even your next-door neighbor – are required to take reasonable steps to ensure the safety of their pool for their guests.

Common Causes of Swimming Pool Injuries

Sadly, careless maintenance is often the cause of pool-related injuries. These include:

  • Missing, damaged, or faulty pool ladders
  • Defective pool accessories like diving boards and slides
  • Pool gates that are missing, defective, or have broken locks
  • Improper maintenance of the pool’s electrical, plumbing, or filtration systems
  • Broken glass in the pool area

Additionally, many pool injuries occur because homeowners and pool party hosts simply don’t properly supervise their guests.

If You’re Hurt at Someone’s Pool or Pool Party, You May Be Awarded Damages

Pool-related injuries are a common reason for summertime personal injury cases. If you or your child has suffered a pool-related injury due to a careless pool owner or pool party host, you may be awarded monetary damages for a variety of costs, including:

  • Medical bills
  • Ongoing medical and therapy needs
  • Long-term nursing home care
  • Pain and suffering
  • Mental anguish
  • Inconvenience to your daily life and routine
  • Lost wages, including a diminished future earning potential due to injuries that may prevent you from doing the job that you used to do

What Should You Do If You’re Injured at a Pool?

The first thing you should do if you or your child is injured at someone’s pool is to seek immediate medical attention. Not only is this important for addressing your urgent medical needs, but seeking medical attention also helps to set the foundation for your personal injury case.

You should follow your doctor’s post-visit instructions to a “T.” This means attending rehab, physical therapy, or occupational therapy if they are recommended as you’re recovering from your pool-related injury. You should also refrain from doing any activities your doctor has told you to avoid.

After your injuries have been properly diagnosed and treated, you should consult with a Virginia personal injury law firm like ours. During a consultation, we’ll listen to your story and ask important questions to understand what circumstances led to your pool-related injury. This conversation can help us determine if the pool owner or pool party host was negligent in performing their legal duties.

If we move forward with a personal injury lawsuit, you need to keep careful records of all your medical appointments, bills, and lost wages so that your potential damages can be properly calculated during your court case.

Contact Us for a Consultation

Whether you or your child suffered an injury at someone else’s swimming pool, we’re here to help. Contact us today to schedule a consultation with one of our personal injury attorneys by calling (703) 813-6460 or filling out our online contact form.