Diving Accident Attorney in Texas

In 2000, 3,343 Americans died as a result of accidental drowning related to a diving injury and/or swimming accidents. Drowning represents the second leading cause of diving injury related deaths for children fourteen and under. Each year 5,000 children are hospitalized for near-drowning injuries. Twenty percent of near-drowning victims suffer severe, permanent neurological disability. Long-term care for near-drowning victims can range from $180,000 to 4.5 million dollars, depending on the severity of the injury.

Every summer people head to the pool to cool off and have fun splashing with their friends. Unfortunately, over 1,000 children die annually due to water-related accidents, as well as thousands of adults. Serious injuries may result from swimming and diving injury accidents, including bone fractures, head injuries, spinal cord injuries, and brain injuries. Large amounts of water are not necessary for a drowning to occur. It only takes 2 inches of water to place children at risk of drowning. The following items may pose a drowning threat: bathtubs, buckets, toilets, spas, hot tubs, landscape ponds, sinks, and fish tanks.

A diving injury occurred when jumping into water that is too shallow or has hidden hazards. These injuries may be to the head, neck, or spinal cord.

Many diving injuries result when persons --predominantly males aged 15-25 years -- plunge into swimming pools or natural bodies of water such as rivers, streams, lakes, and oceans. In one study, 15 cases of quadriplegia were reported. One resulted from a dive into a swimming pool; the other 14 cases resulted from dives into rivers, streams, lakes, or oceans. Only three of these injured persons had objective evidence of the depth of the water at the time of injury, Most of the divers had underestimated it.

Droughts resulting in low water levels in rivers, lakes, and streams increase the risk of spinal cord injuries from diving, even in natural bodies of water previously considered safe. Because of extremely low water levels, no one should dive -- even into a familiar body of water --until the depth of the water has been objectively measured.

Several strategies to prevent diving injuries have been suggested. The authorities can closely monitor water levels in natural bodies of water during periods of low rainfall and can post warning signs to alert potential divers of hazards. In some localities, public education and poster campaigns have been used, and areas that are too shallow for diving have been posted as being hazardous. Other strategies urge divers to determine the depth of the water by wading into it before diving or by first jumping feet first into the water.

Diving Accidents - Diving Accident Attorney

A serious pool-related danger is diving. Diving into shallow water or into unfamiliar water where the depth is not known is extremely dangerous. In other cases, diving boards may be placed at pools that aren't designed properly. The slope of the pool may not allow a diver enough clearance to avoid hitting the pool floor. Diving accidents are a major cause of spinal cord injury and traumatic brain injury which have severe life-long consequences.

Drownings

Sadly, childhood drownings most often occur in swimming pools. Between 60 to 90 percent of drownings among children up to age 4 occur in residential swimming pools, with more than half of these occurring at the child's own home. Among children under the age of 15, drowning is the second leading cause of death.

Pool Contamination

Swimmers should also be aware that germs in contaminated water can cause serious illness, and even death. In June 1998, a dozen children were contaminated with the E. Coli bacteria at an Atlanta water park, and one child died.

Swimming pool water most likely becomes contaminated by watery diarrhea, as well as germs that get washed off of swimmers. Although chlorine kills most germs, some germs can survive normal pool levels of chlorine for several hours to days. When a pool owner or operated fails to properly maintain chlorine levels, the risk of contamination increases.