When the temperature rises in the city, there’s no better way to beat that heat than by hitting the pool. There are over 7,400 public swimming pools in New York to which city dwellers can escape but each and every one is a potential life taker if you’re not prepared. And while public bathing facilities pose potential health hazards (especially to children), privately owned pools are responsible for the vast majority of drowning accidents in New York City.
In most cases involving adults, alcohol consumption is a key contributing factor in fatal drowning accidents in New York City. When children are involved, improper supervision and inadequate safety measures are often to blame.
How “real” is the risk? Drowning accidents in New York City were one of the leading causes of deaths between 2012 and 2014. In fact, for children between the ages of 10 and 14 years old, drowning was the third leading cause of death topped only by motor vehicle accidents and suicide.
Momentary distractions give a child enough time to jump or fall into an unmonitored pool. It can take less than a minute for them to drown. Even if they’re pulled from the pool in time, you still have to worry about “dry drowning” (drowning caused by water trapped in the lungs).
Pool owners have a responsibility to prevent these fatal drowning accidents in New York City to the best of their abilities. Pools are often legally considered “attractive nuisances” to children and must have fencing, gate letches, and even pool monitors installed to prevent potential drowning deaths. If these criteria are not met and someone is injured or dies in the pool, the owner could be held legally and financially liable.
If you’ve been injured in a pool accident or have lost a loved one, contact an experienced New York City accidental drowning attorney today.