Hotel Swimming Pool Accidents

August 12, 2020 Personal Injury

Swimming pool accidents contribute to thousands of drowning and submersion injuries in the US each year. Drowning is one of the top causes of unintentional injury deaths in the country, responsible for about 10 deaths per day. Swimming pools on any property, private or public, could pose significant risks to visitors. This includes hotel swimming pools.

What to Do After a Hotel Pool Accident

Hotels are popular among tourists, travelers and vacationers. Most hotel guests are not on alert for personal injury risks. They check in to rest and relax, assuming the hotel has fulfilled its duties of care in maintaining safe premises. When the unexpected occurs, the victim may not be prepared for what to do. If you get into a hotel swimming pool accident, take the right steps to protect your legal rights.

1. Request emergency medical care, if needed.
2. Report the accident to an authority at the hotel immediately. Ask for a manager.
3. Write down the name and contact information of the hotel manager.
4. Take photographs of the dangerous pool element or condition, if applicable.
5. Obtain the names and phone numbers of any eyewitnesses.
6. Describe your accident in detail. Put it in writing for future reference.
7. Request a copy of the hotel manager’s accident report.
8. Keep copies of documents related to medical care for your swimming pool injuries.
9. Gather evidence of your accident and related damages.
10. Contact a Gwinnett County personal injury lawyer to help you maximize recoverable compensation.

In general, your goals should be to report the accident, collect evidence and protect your rights with help from a personal injury attorney. Put your health and safety first. Always see a doctor for pool accident injuries, including slip and fall injuries, drowning injuries, lacerations, and electric shocks. Prompt medical care could help you heal from your injuries. Then, talk to a lawyer about filing a claim against the hotel.

Can the Hotel Be Liable for a Pool Accident or Drowning?

All businesses and establishments in Georgia – including hotels, motels, resorts and spas – owe a legal duty of care to reasonably ensure the safety of those who enter their properties. Georgia’s premises liability laws state that a business could be legally responsible for accidents, injuries and deaths that occur on their properties. A hotel could be liable for you or a loved one’s swimming pool accident if your premises liability attorney can prove three main elements are more likely to be true than untrue.

1. The hotel owed you a duty of care. You must have been a welcomed visitor or guest at the hotel, not a trespasser, for the establishment to owe you a duty of care.
2. The hotel breached its duty of care. The hotel must be guilty of negligence or another breach of duty, such as failure to block a pool from wandering children.
3. The hotel’s breach of duty caused your accident. You or your lawyer must show a connection between the hotel’s failure or breach and your swimming pool accident.

You must also demonstrate that you have compensable damages from the swimming pool accident, such as medical bills or lost wages. Only with enough proof of these elements can you recover compensation from a hotel for causing your injuries.

Pool Safety Tips for Children

When staying at a hotel in Georgia, take extra care to keep children safe from the hotel pool. Children ages four and under are especially prone to swimming pool accidents and drowning. Never leave a child of any age in or near a hotel swimming pool unattended. Make sure the person supervising child swimmers is a responsible adult who has not been drinking alcohol. Teach children how to swim at a young age, as well as to stay away from pool drains, which can be dangerous. Check to make sure the hotel’s swimming pool appears safe and free from dangerous defects, such as missing drain covers. Obtain your CPR certification to aid an injured child if a swimming pool accident happens.