Drowning is a Silent Killer
By injuheis on August 12, 2010
When most of us think of a drowning, we think of a victim splashing and yelling for help, even though that is rarely the case, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Typically, a person may cry for help only at the very beginning of distress while swimming. The distress period usually lasts between 20 seconds and three minutes, although it is a much shorter period of time for children.
When a person is in serious trouble, they are usually silent. This is because the body begins self-preservation, which shuts down bodily functions. Usually, a drowning victim will not have the use of his legs, but will be able to move his or her arms. The victim’s mouth will be open and going above and below the water. A drowning victim often appears to be dog paddling.
Children must be very closely supervised when in or near water, especially if they are not strong swimmers.
A child who is drowning usually appears to be playing. Many children have drowned while their parents were nearby; sometimes even watching them swim, because the parents were not alert to the signs of drowning. According to the Center for Disease Control, there were on average, 10 deaths each day in the United States due to drowning in 2007. Twenty-seven percent of injury deaths to children age four and under were from drowning.
If you or a loved one has been a victim of a Maryland swimming pool accident, contact Steven H. Heisler, “The Injury Lawyer,” today at 877-228-4878. As an experienced Maryland swimming pool accident lawyer, will help you obtain the justice that you deserve by standing up for your rights. Contact him for a free consultation.
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How to Prevent MD Swimming Pool Accidents
By injuheis on May 26, 2010
Each year in the United States, approximately 300 children under the age of 5 drown in swimming pools. Emergency room treatment is required for 2,000 children each year under the age of 5 due to being submerged in a residential swimming pool. Seventy-five percent of the children who drowned or were treated for submersion were between the ages of 1 and 3. The majority of swimming pool victims were being supervised by one or both parents when the accident occurred.
Most of the swimming pool drownings or submersions occurred in a child’s family’s or friend’s pool. Less than two percent of the accidents occurred as a result of a child trespassing on a stranger’s property.
The speed with which a drowning can occur is astonishing – 77 percent of swimming pool drowning victims had been gone less than 5 minutes. In addition, these are typically silent deaths. There is unlikely to be splashing or yelling that could alert adults to the danger.
How do you keep your swimming pool safe? The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission suggests that a pool barrier should be at least 48 inches high to prevent young children from climbing over it. If the barrier is a fence, there should be no more than 1 ¾ inches between each post. The bottom of the fence should have no more than a 4 inch gap to prevent children from climbing under it. If a door to the house gives immediate access to a pool, the door should be equipped with an alarm that will sound within 7 seconds after the door is open.
Far too many children die each year in swimming pool accidents. If your child or a child you care about has been the victim of a swimming pool accident, you have rights that deserve to be protected by a Maryland swimming pool accident lawyer. Contact Steven H. Heisler, “The Injury Lawyer”, today at 877-228-4878 for your free consultation.
Maryland Swimming Pool Accident Attorneys
By injuheis on July 9, 2009
Summer is now in full swing and hope it turns out to be a great one for everyone out there. However, we all know that sometimes, summer fun can turn dangerous or even deadly. Swimming pool accidents and poolside injuries are the number two cause of death in children 14 and younger. Swimming pool accidents in Maryland can result in death. But they can also cause submersion injuries, traumatic brain injuries, concussions and spinal cord injuries. In Maryland, if you are a homeowner and a visiting child drowns in your pool as a result of your negligence or inattention, you could be liable for that accident and resulting injuries.
Backyard swimming pool accidents occur most commonly in Maryland. Recently, WBALTV reported that a 3-year-old girl died in backyard swimming pool accident in Annapolis, Maryland. The girl was apparently found to be in cardiac arrest when paramedics arrived at the home.
Each state’s swimming pool laws vary; however, pool owners are generally expected to exercise a reasonable standard of care when it comes to visitors using their pool facilities. This includes an obligation to accurately post pool depth and other warning signs, to cover an unused pool, and to properly secure pool facilities not in use with fences, locks, and other barriers.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a swimming pool accident, seek appropriate medical care immediately and try to document the circumstances of the accident as accurately as possible. You would also be well-advised to contact skilled Maryland swimming pool accident attorney Steven H. Heisler who can advise you on which legal course to pursue and tell you whether you qualify to collect compensation for your injuries.