Personal Injury Attorney Explains Pool Owner Responsibilities

Personal injury attorneys are all too familiar with the fact that Labor Day weekend is one of the biggest pool and hot tub weekends of the year. Every year lawsuits are filed against pool owners who are believed to be negligent, or who fail to keep their backyard pool safe.

Safety and security is the primary responsibility of pool owners. This include other publicly or privately owned bodies of water such as Swimming pools, ponds, hot tubs, and water slides. Water is a natural enticement for children of all ages.

Pool owners need to respond with increased awareness whenever there are small children in the area. Pool owners are lawfully mandated to provide a self-locking fence around the pool in order to discourage keep out unwanted visitors. This responsibility also extends to family and guests.

Unfortunately, accidental drowning is the second leading cause of injury-related death in children under age 15. The age group that faces the highest rate of drowning in swimming pools is children between the ages of 1-4.

The three main causes for drowning incidents:

1. Victims do not know how to swim - Studies reveal that taking swimming lessons significantly decreases the risk of drowning for children of all ages.

2. Absence of, or insufficient barriers - Fences are the first line of defense to keep children away from the pool area when supervision is not around. Isolating the pool from the house and yard will reduce the chance of a child drowning by 80%.

3. Little or no supervision - Children of every age, and even pets, need constant monitoring when there is a pool or hot tub in the home. Pool owners should also consider additional safety measures such as gate alarms, safety covers for the pool, and wave alarms.

Tips to ensure that your backyard pool is as safe as possible:

1. If a child is missing, look in the pool or spa first
2. Provide adult supervision when children and pets are near the pool or spa
3. Cover the basic water safety tips with children and guests
4. Provide safety devices for pool drains, pipes, and other openings


A Charlotte, NC personal injury attorney
It is important to remember that no matter how safe you try to be, swimming pools and spas are an irresistible temptation to children of all ages. Every pool owner has a responsibility to provide a safe environment for guests and family.

If you feel you are the victim of a pool owner's negligence, the accident and injury attorneys Charlotte, NC are also ready to work for you and your family. If you or a family member ends up injured as the result of any negligent act or an act of omission; call the offices for a free consultation with one of their Charlotte personal injury lawyers.