Swimming Pool Accidents in Alpharetta

Accidents can and do happen anywhere, and swimming pools are not exempt from that. Most people who have a swimming pool on their property are well aware of the potential risk that it offers. Everyone should be responsible for thinking about ways to minimize this risk and the resulting injuries that might occur. 

One of the most common types of swimming pool accidents has to do with lack of supervision. This is especially common when there are children involved. When there is no lifeguard on duty at all or when a lifeguard has not been properly trained, the chances of a child suffering a drowning incident are much higher. Even when a lifeguard is not present in someone's backyard pool, children should always be supervised when swimming. Drownings can happen in as little as a few minutes. 

Swimming While Intoxicated

Stepping back from swimming pool accidents alone, all water recreation incidents can lead to injuries. According to the CDC, up to 70% of fatal water recreation accidents involved alcohol. Since swimming is a dangerous activity by itself for young people or those who are out of their depth with their swimming skills, combining this activity with alcohol is not recommended. 

Defective Equipment Around the Pool

A pool is a machine with vents and pumps all throughout it. Pools must be inspected on a regular basis to ensure that all of that equipment is functioning in the right way. Sudden accidents can occur when the equipment has not been tested or updated recently. Anti-entrapment devices should also be used to protect people from getting their skin or hair trapped in the equipment.

Since swimming pool accident claims happen at the intersection of personal injury and premises liability, they can be very complex legal cases. This is a leading reason to hire the right lawyer experienced in Alpharetta swimming pool accidents. Especially if you are pursuing a claim 
against a public pool, you need to be prepared to fight back in this serious situation.

Your lawyer should gather all of the evidence and communicate with your insurance company and any other stakeholders during this challenging time so that you can attend to your medical appointments and other issues from the incident. 

You have a lot on the line when you might be owed damages because of your injuries and you cannot afford to wait or to try to handle this on your own. 

When you allege that a company did not have the proper safety equipment, supervision, or other things in place to prevent swimming pool accidents, these are serious allegations that require evidence. 

Not every swimming pool accident case will lead to a personal liability lawsuit. This is why it is important to consult with experienced swimming pool accident lawyers as soon as possible to verify whether or not you have grounds to pursue a claim against a negligent party. 

Did you know that there are specific rules to owning a pool in Georgia? A barrier that complies with state building rules must be created around a home pool. For example, a fence must be a minimum of four feet high. Many homeowners choose to install fences that are higher to prevent the possibility of drowning accidents or other swimming pool injuries. In the event that the house is part of the barrier to the pool, the doors that connect the pool to the home need to have a very specific alarm. It is also important that every Georgia homeowner who has a pool on their property maintain homeowners insurance. In addition to these requirements, it is also recommended that homeowners have adequate lighting around the pool area and make use of other strategies that can help minimize the possibility of pool accidents, such as grip material around the exterior of the pool to prevent slipping and falling. 

If you can show that the homeowner responsible for the pool or some other third-party contributed to the injuries you sustained in a swimming pool, you may have grounds to pursue a swimming pool accident lawsuit. The only way to know for sure whether or not you were able to file a lawsuit is to meet with an experienced Alpharetta, GA swimming pool accident lawyer. 

Imagine that you visited a public pool where the owner knew about a defective vacuum or pump but failed to take the necessary action to fix it. In this case, you’d be eligible to show that there was a known hazard and that they failed to act on that known hazard, placing you and others at risk for injuries. If you can show that this was directly tied to your accident and the resulting injuries, this becomes the basis for your entire claim. 

Every state, including Georgia, has specific rules about when a victim is able to file a lawsuit. The primary purpose behind this is to put a maximum cap time period on when the victim can pursue compensation for when they have been hurt. In Georgia, you have no longer than two years after the date of the swimming pool accident to open a claim. 

Even if you are not yet sure that you will file a lawsuit, it's a good idea to sit down with swimming pool accident lawyers in Alpharetta, GA to get a better perspective on what would happen if you open the case. Your lawyers might also request further information to give you more details about the possibility of filing a suit, so the sooner that you can meet with them in an initial consultation, the easier it will be to gather these materials and understand your rights and opportunities. 

Most swimming pool accident injuries might seem minor in the moment, but they can actually carry long-term consequences. For example, if someone’s brain is deprived of oxygen for a few minutes in a near-drowning incident, this can follow them for years. The medical costs to treat ongoing brain issues from an injury like this can also be substantial. 

Likewise, diving into shallow water can cause major damage to the spinal cord or the brain, leaving behind devastating injuries. This can lead to a lifetime of medical bills, so it’s always smart to be prepared in advance of these years of expenses by filing a lawsuit. 

As a swimming pool accident victim, you need to be prepared to search for an attorney with experience. Practicing in the area of personal injury is not necessarily the same as representing victims in swimming pool accident cases. When doing your research, make sure to ask about each lawyer's experience in handling cases like this and whether or not they've been able to negotiate the settlement amount or receive substantial verdicts for their clients. You want an attorney who has appropriate experience in this field and one who has handled complicated cases like this before. There is so much on the line for your future that you cannot afford to hand this case over to someone who is not familiar with these aspects of the law or someone who is not willing to work as hard as possible to fight for your future. When speaking with an attorney, make sure to leverage the initial conversation to learn more about what is most important to you. 

Go beyond the basics in doing your research. Ask the attorney how many similar cases they have handled in the past couple of years. Review their website for further information about previous case outcomes. Finally, read through the reviews posted about this law firm on numerous websites to identify how other victims have felt after working with them. You have a choice and who to work with as a personal injury attorney, and the right swimming pool accident lawyer in Alpharetta can have a significant impact on your case and on your future overall. 

If you were involved in any Alpharetta swimming pool accidents and have questions about your rights, don’t wait to get those answered. If you’re ready to take your next steps, you can fill out a one-minute form to get a free, no-obligation case evaluation to get started.