Florida Injury Lawyer Blog
In Hollywood and Florida, pools are a big part of summertime. From community pools to pools in our backyards, water is a big part of staying cool, staying active, and enjoying the sunshine of southern Florida. While splashing around and having a swim is great exercise and can be lots of fun, pools do pose a considerable risk, especially for children. Children have a fascination with water and have less developed swimming skills, which can make them especially prone to pool injuries and drownings.
For homeowners, too, pools can mean Hollywood premises liability claims, injuries to neighboring children, trespassing, and other worries. Fortunately, there are several ways you can keep your pool and your children safe:
- Protect your pool area: One of the most important things you can do as a parent or a pool owner (or both) is to make sure that there is a high and strong fence and self-locking gate around your pool. Wherever possible, make sure your pool area also includes a alarm system to let you know if anyone has entered the area without your knowledge.
- Clean your pool often: Inflatable pools do not have disinfectant systems and filters, which can cause germs and water-borne illness. Always follow manufacturer directions for cleaning the pool and keeping it safe. If you have an in-ground pool, follow the manufacturer’s directions or hire professionals to clean it correctly.
- Know CPR: A first-aid course is useful in many situations and can help you save a life.
- Use extra caution if your neighborhood has children: If a child wanders into your yard, trespassing, and is injured in your pool, you could be held liable. If there are children who live in or visit your neighborhood regularly, it is even more important to take all possible precautions to prevent injuries.
- Teach your children to swim from an early age: It does not replace supervision, but teaching children swimming and water safety from a young age can help keep them safer around water.
- Inspect pools before each use: Look for tears and other damage and repair before allowing children in your pool. Damaged pools can lead to injury. If you have an in-ground pool, look for any signs of rusting, damage to drains, and any other damage which can be a hazard.
- Keep alert for other pool and water-area injuries: Your children are at risk every time they are around water. Whether it’s at the beach, with friends in a river, or in a neighborhood with pools, you need to be aware of where your children are and to ensure smart supervision at all times. Be especially cautious when your children are anywhere near water. In Hollywood in South Florida, the nearest source of water is often only steps away and it can take just minutes for your child to find a pool or body of water and sustain a serious injury. Get into the habit of checking on your children’s whereabouts regularly and use a system of multiple adults to make sure children stay supervised at all times.
if your child has been injured in a pool injury, contact Flaxman Law Group at 1-866-352-9626 (1-866-FLAXMAN) for a free accident consultation with a Hollywood child injury attorney. Our legal team has more than 60 years of combined experience and we have helped thousands of South Florida families and individuals get tens of millions of dollars in compensation for their injuries. We can help you understand whether you have a claim and may be able to represent you in your case.