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Pool Safety for Summer

Pool Safety for Summer

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With summer around the corner, many families will be looking for ways to cool off. With the influx in popularity of backyard and community pools, many people will find summer fun in their own neighborhood to skip the long commute to the beach. Although swimming pools can be a great way to spend a hot afternoon, they can be dangerous if they are not maintained properly. Pool owners who do not surround their pools with non-skid ground cover and those who fail to repair broken ladders and other pool equipment put those who use their pools at risk of injury. When an individual suffers an injury because of a hazard that the property owner should have known about, the owner may be held liable for the victim’s damages. These damages can include his or her medical bills, lost wages due to having to spend time out of work to recover, and “pain and suffering” expenses, which can include the need for a mobility aid and over-the-counter pain medication.

Duty of Care

The responsibility that a property owner—whether that property owner is a homeowner with a pool in their yard, the owner of a water park that is open to the public, or a government entity that operates a public pool—is  known as duty of care. A property owner’s duty of care to a victim depends on why the victim was on the property. For example, a trespasser is owed a lower duty of care than a social guest of the property owner. Individuals who are on the property for commercial reasons, such as paying customers at a water park, are owed the greatest duty of care.

Duty of care refers to the steps that the property owner must take to prevent an injury. For example, if a property owner knows about a broken ladder in a pool, it is his or her job to have the ladder repaired or replaced in a timely manner. If he or she cannot do this, the ladder must be marked as broken in an obvious way, such as with yellow caution tape. Property owners might also take preventative measures as part of their duty of care, such as posting safety tips around the pool or putting up conspicuous signs warning swimmers not to run on the tiled surfaces in order to reduce their risk of a slip and fall accident.

Safety Tips to Prevent a Pool Injury this Summer

Keep the following safety tips in mind to prevent a slip and fall accident at the pool this summer:

  • Always supervise children at the pool, no matter how strong their swimming abilities.
  • Never run near a swimming pool.
  • Have a first aid kit near the swimming pool in the event of a minor injury. For major injuries, call 911 as soon as possible.
  • Repair all broken pool equipment as soon as possible.
  • Install a handrail at the pool’s ladder.
  • Build a fence around the pool to prevent an individual from accidentally falling into it.

Philadelphia Slip and Fall Lawyers at Geoffrey B. Gompers & Associates Seek Compensation for Victims of Slip and Fall Accidents in Pennsylvania

If you or your child has been injured at a public or private pool, speak with an experienced Philadelphia slip and fall lawyer to learn more about the applicable premise liability laws. Our team at Geoffrey B. Gompers & Associates can help you seek the compensation you deserve. To get started with our team, fill out our online form or call us at 215-567-6600. With offices in Philadelphia and New Jersey, we are equipped to serve clients from the following areas: Philadelphia, Bala Cynwyd, Merion Station, Darby, Upper Darby, Sharon Hill, Wynnewood, Narberth, Clifton Heights, Folcroft, Lansdowne, Glenolden, Drexel Hill, Havertown, Cheltenham, Ardmore, Norwood, Holmes, Essington, Elkins Park, Prospect Park, Gladwyne, Chester County, Delaware County, Philadelphia County and New Jersey.