California Injury Blog
Two children were taken to a hospital after a swimming pool accident in which they nearly drowned. According to The Orange County Register, the near drowning incident occurred at a community pool near Lamplighter and Groveland, the afternoon of June 21, 2012. Lifeguards were reported to have been in the area when the incident was reported. The two children were seen crying and vomiting when paramedics arrived. Both children were transported to a nearby hospital for treatment. The extent of their injuries is not known.
My thoughts and prayers are with these injured children. I wish them the very best for a speedy and complete recovery.
Near-Drowning Incidents
According to The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), near-drowning incidents can be extremely serious. More than 50 percent of drowning victims treated in emergency departments require hospitalization or transfer for further care, compared with a hospitalization rate of about 6 percent for all unintentional injuries. These near-drowning incidents can cause severe brain damage that may result in long-term disabilities such as memory loss and learning disabilities. They may also leave victims in a permanent vegetative state.
Liability Issues
Based on this news report, officials say the children were swimming in a community pool and that there were lifeguards present at the time. How did the children then nearly drown? Were the lifeguards paying attention? Who was watching the children at the time? I trust officials are looking into these and other issues in order to determine what occurred here and why.
In such cases, the property owner or the community association can be held liable. If a caregiver was watching the children, he or she can also be held liable for their injuries. Injured victims of swimming pool accidents may seek compensation to cover medical expenses, hospitalization, rehabilitation, pain and suffering, and emotional distress. Victims or their families would be well advised to contact an experienced Irvine personal injury lawyer who will ensure that their legal rights and best interests are protected. The best personal injury law firms will always offer a free consultation and comprehensive case evaluation to injured victims and their families.