Articles Posted in Drowning Accidents

Nearly 20 state pools were closed for review after a 36-year-old resident drowned in the Fall River Veteran’s Memorial Swimming Pool. The Massachusetts drowning accident wasn’t discovered until two days after it happened.

Residents are now being let back into these pools. They were temporarily shut down after that fatal safety lapse in Fall River. All pools had to pass precautionary inspections.
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A number of agencies were on the case, conducting investigations into the deadly accident. The state Department of Conservation and Recreation started its review of the facility after receiving permission from the Bristol district attorney’s office and police.

Our Boston pool accident attorneys know that many residents and visitors jump into these pools during this time of year because the summer months provide such beautiful outdoor weather.

“We started our own investigation, having been given the green light by the DA last night to do so,” Edward M. Lambert Jr., the Department of Conservation and Recreation commissioner, said yesterday. “The team has been tasked with getting the facts around this disturbing incident.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 10 people die every day from unintentional drownings. Two of these 10 deaths occur to children under the age of 15. As a matter of fact, drowning is the second leading cause of death for children in this age group. Drowning is the sixth leasing cause of unintentional injury death for people of all ages.

In 2007 alone, there were nearly 3,500 deaths resulting from unintentional drownings in the United States. These figures do not include boating-related drownings. One-fifth of every drowning victim is a young child under the age of 15. For every one of these child deaths, four more are sent to emergency rooms for nonfatal submersion injuries.

More than half of all people who experience a drowning incident are treated in emergency departments and are required to stay in the hospital or are transferred to higher levels of care. These nonfatal drownings can cause brain damage. Oftentimes these injuries result in long-term disabilities including memory problems, learning disabilities and permanent loss of basic functioning.

To help prevent water-related injuries:

-Supervise all children when around water. Remain close enough to reach children at all times. Prohibit adults from being involved in any other distracting activity while supervising children.

-Swim with the buddy system. Never swim alone. Swim in areas that have lifeguards whenever possible.

-Learn to Swim. Formal swimming lessons can help to protect people from drowning.

-Learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). CPR can help to save someone’s life in the time it might take for paramedics to arrive.

-Don’t use air-filled or foam toys. These toys should not be used in place of life jackets or personal flotation devices. They’re not designed to keep swimmers safe.

-Don’t drink and swim. Don’t drink while supervising swimming children either.
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The tragic drowning deaths of twin toddlers in a Massachusetts swimming pool accident is a heartbreaking reminder of the need for constant supervision of young children around a swimming pool.

Constant supervision. Statistics show that 9 out of 10 child drownings occur in incidents where an adult was directly supervising a child. Many organizations encourage “touch supervision,” in which a capable adult is literally within an arm’s reach of a child at all times while in the water. In some cases, newer homes will be equipped with alarms on doors leading to the pool area. In all cases, alarms or door locks should be used in homes with young children.

As we reported on our Boston Personal Injury Attorney Blog over the Memorial Day weekend, Massachusetts drowning accident happen almost exclusively between Memorial Day and Labor Day and most involve young children. Whether an accident occurs in a residential swimming pool, a commercial pool (such as those at hotels, parks or tourist attractions) or in a family’s own pool, a Massachusetts child injury attorney should always be consulted to ensure that your rights are protected.

We understand that monetary damages cannot begin to compensate for the serious injury or death of a child. However, ensuring that resources are available is vital to treating a child injured in a near-drowning accident, the effects of which can last for months or years and may even result in symptoms presenting long after the incident. In cases, where a child tragically drowns, counseling for other family members, funeral expenses and other factors should be considered. In some cases, a defective pool product or safety device may have been responsible. In other cases, an experienced Massachusetts wrongful death attorney may be able to assist in seeking damages from your homeowner’s insurance policy.

In this case, the Essex District Attorney’s Office reports that police were called to a home in Lynnfield at about 10:20 a.m. Saturday for a report of babies in the pool, the Associated Press reported. The two-year-old girls were transported to the hospital, where they were pronounced dead.

The girls’ mother was home at the time. Authorities report the girls may somehow have managed to open a remote pool cover.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission offers Pool Safety Tips.
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