According to the Florida Department of Health, our state has the highest drowning death rate in the nation for children under five. The vast majority of those deaths take place in swimming pools. Thanks to our warm climate, Florida is full of swimming pools -- but not everyone responsible for those pools understands the importance of keeping them secure and safe to use. When children, teenagers and adults have accidents with swimming pools, the results can be catastrophic -- wrongful deaths and brain damage or spinal injuries that can leave victims disabled for life.

Swimming pools are a notorious risk for toddlers, who are old enough to walk around alone but not necessarily old enough to swim. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that drowning causes 30% of the deaths of children ages 1 through 4, and the second most common cause of death for kids under age 15. In fact, the CDC says most swimming pool drownings happen when the child is under direct parental supervision and has been out of sight for fewer than five minutes. Kids who know how to swim may also be endangered when their small bodies are caught in the suction created by the pool’s drain, which can entrap them underwater or eviscerate them. And people of all ages can be injured in pools with unsafe diving boards or equipment, improper chemicals or other dangerous conditions.

Recognizing the serious risk to children, the Florida Legislature has passed a law requiring fences or other barriers around swimming pools, along with gates whose latches are too high for a toddler to reach. Similarly, the federal Virginia Graeme Baker Act requires swimming pools across the nation to install pool drain covers to prevent children from being entrapped by suction. Unfortunately, compliance with both laws is less than perfect, and children continue to die from preventable swimming pool accidents. And many other accidents are caused by ordinary negligence, from mistakes with pool chemicals to failure to latch the gate leading to a pool. Pool operators are legally responsible for avoiding these careless mistakes and complying with the law. When they fail, they may be held liable in a West Palm Beach swimming pool injury lawsuit for any deaths or injuries that result.

Balliro represents individuals and families who have suffered a death or a serious injury because of someone else’s negligence around swimming pools. Our Fort Lauderdale swimming pool accident attorneys help victims and families hold careless operators legally responsible for their actions. We can also help victims who are suffering financially because of the accident, from high medical bills, lost income and other unexpected costs. In many cases involving children, defendants and their insurance companies add insult to injury by blaming lack of parental supervision for injuries and deaths. Our Miami-Dade swimming pool accident lawyers fight these hurtful and self-interested arguments by thoroughly investigating the accident, using expert witnesses whenever necessary to prove the case to a jury.

If you or a loved one was seriously injured through no fault of your own in a Florida swimming pool, you should talk to Balliro as soon as possible. To set up a free, confidential evaluation of your case, you can reach us toll-free from anywhere in Florida at 1-866-INJURED or send us a message online.