Washington, DC Swimming Pool Accident Lawyer

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, every year an estimated 4,000 fatal and 8,000 nonfatal drownings occur in the United States. Drowning is the leading cause of death for children – more children ages 1 through 4 die from drowning than any other cause of death except for birth defects. In fact, for children ages 5 through 14, drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional death after motor vehicle accidents. Recent data from the Consumer Product Safety Commission shows the scale of nonfatal incidents, with an estimated 6,200 emergency department–treated nonfatal pool or spa drowning injuries among children under 15 reported in 2024.

Swimming pools found in backyards, gyms, apartment complexes, and community rec centers may contain hazards such as:

• Defective equipment. Faulty equipment, especially pool drains, can cause severe injuries, including amputation, serious lacerations, and disembowelment. In many cases, fatal pool drain accidents occur when a swimmer’s limb is stuck in the drain, causing drowning.
• Lack of supervision. Accidental drownings are a major cause of preventable deaths among children 14 years old and younger. Some swimming pools use lifeguards to supervise swimmers and respond to emergencies, but they are not always properly trained or paying adequate attention.
• Standing water. Wet surfaces around pools and on diving boards can cause you or other swimmers to slip and fall.
• Poor maintenance. Equipment and even the pool water can be hazardous without regular maintenance. Poorly maintained pool drains, for example, may break or malfunction, causing injuries. Additionally, untreated swimming pools may contain bacteria and viruses that can cause severe illness, and dirty, cloudy water can make swimmers’ visibility in the pool difficult or impossible.
• Poorly trained staff. Lifeguards must be trained to respond to certain emergencies beyond pulling someone out of the water. Without CPR training, a lifeguard would be unable to save your life if you suffered cardiac arrest from drowning. Employees handling potentially dangerous pool cleaning chemicals must also have adequate training.
• Unsafe design. The design of a swimming pool can put you and others at risk of injury or wrongful death. Outdoor swimming pools should also have fences and working gates to keep small children from entering the premises and drowning. Recent safety actions highlight how design flaws can create serious risks. More than 5.2 million aboveground swimming pools sold in the United States and Canada were recently recalled after a design feature made it easier for young children to climb into the pool, a hazard linked to multiple drowning deaths. Swimming pools should also contain signs that warn swimmers of hazards, such as No Diving signs near shallow water.

Swimming comes with inherent risks, but it does not mean that pool owners and operators can be negligent. If you’ve suffered a pool accident, contact the swimming accident lawyers at Regan Zambri Long today to discuss your legal options.