If your child gets hurt in a swimming pool this summer in Florida, there are several legal options you can consider. Depending on your family’s situation, you may be able to seek both compensation and justice for the suffering that your child will have experienced.
The first step is to determine who is responsible for your child’s injury. This kind of legal responsibility is often referred to as “liability.” Liability depends on several factors, including where the accident happened and how it occurred. Common liable parties in swimming pool injury situations include:
- Pool owners: Whether it’s a private homeowner, a hotel or a public facility, the owner of the pool has a responsibility to ensure that their pool area is safe.
- Pool maintenance companies: If poor maintenance or chemical imbalances cause injury, the company responsible for maintaining the pool might be liable.
- Manufacturers: If an injury occurs due to a defective pool product, such as a faulty drain cover, the manufacturer might be held responsible.
In Florida, pool owners have a duty to keep their premises safe. This means they must regularly inspect the pool area, fix any hazards and provide proper warnings of any potential dangers. If they fail to do this, they can be held liable under the state’s premises liability laws. This includes ensuring gates and fences are secure, pool surfaces are non-slip and there is adequate supervision when necessary.
Filing a personal injury claim
If a pool owner or operator doesn’t honor the state’s standards for safety, they can be held responsible for injuries that occur as a result of this negligence. For example, if they don’t repair a broken ladder or fail to put up a warning sign about a slippery deck, they might be considered negligent. Most of the time, when harm occurs due to a property owner’s negligence, those who have been hurt – or their parents, if the injury victims are minors – can file a claim in court to pursue compensation for their losses.
If your child is injured in a swimming pool in Florida this summer, don’t feel like you have to go through the aftermath of this situation alone. Reaching out for personalized guidance and support is a good way to get started.