Drowning Prevention

Jed Dietrich, Esq. and His Top Rated and Elite Team of Lawyers and Paralegals at the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. Battle to Obtain Maximum Compensation for People Who Drowned or Nearly Drowned in Buffalo, New York.

In 2009, a 37-year-old woman became unconscious in a pool at her local Community Center. Unfortunately, the woman’s condition went unnoticed by the pool’s lifeguard for a prolonged period of time. Although the woman did survive this near-drowning experience, she suffered hypoxia which caused severe damage to her brain.

As a result of this near-drowning accident, the woman incurred expensive and ongoing medical bills and significant pain and suffering. Jed Dietrich, Esq. battled to obtain $7,000,000.00 for the woman to compensate her for her injuries.

Stories of drowning and near-drowning accidents that result from someone else’s negligence are all too common in Buffalo, New York and throughout New York State. These tragic happenings inspire Jed Dietrich, Esq. to strive to provide the highest level of personal injury service to the people of Western New York each and every day to get them maximum compensation for their injuries.

Since 1999, Jed Dietrich, Esq. has battled to obtain over $175 Million in verdicts and settlements for people who are injured in Buffalo, New York and beyond. The Dietrich Law Firm P.C.’s team of highly experienced and top rated Buffalo, New York drowning accident attorneys will strive to obtain the best result possible for your drowning or near-drowning injury. Contact us today at 716-839-3939 for your free consultation. We can be reached 24 hours per day and 7 days per week.

Throughout the hot summer months, swimming pools quickly become a main focal point of fun and entertainment throughout the United States. Residents try to cool down and beat the heat by swimming or relaxing around the pool.

However, an enjoyable day at the pool can quickly become a nightmare. A pool mishap can cause severe bodily injuries and even accidental drownings. Sadly, tragic stories of drownings throughout the Buffalo, New York area are all too common. For instance, the recent drowning of an 8-year-old girl at a hotel swimming pool.

Drowning is a prevalent problem. In the United States, drowning is ranked as the fifth leading cause of unintentional injury death. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), every day roughly ten people lose their lives from an unintentional drowning.

From 2005 to 2014, an average of 3,536 people per year died by unintentional drownings in the United States. Approximately twenty percent of drowning deaths that occur are children aged 14 and younger. For every child that drowns, five more are treated in emergency rooms for nonfatal submersion injuries. Nonfatal drowning injuries often cause severe brain damage that may result in the victim being in a permanent state of vegetation or having significantly reduced cognitive abilities.

The frequency of drowning and near-drowning accidents is alarming. If you, or a loved one, drowned or nearly-drowned because of someone else’s negligence, you have a legal right to compensation for the injuries that you suffered. Contact the Dietrich Law Firm P.C.’s team of highly experienced, aggressive, tenacious and hardworking drowning accident lawyers in Buffalo, New York today to learn more about your legal rights. We can be reached 24 hours per day and 7 days per week at 716-839-3939. Call us today!

To help reduce the likelihood of a detrimental drowning or near-drowning accident, it is important to never swim alone. Even the most experienced swimmers can suffer a sudden medical condition rendering them unable to stay afloat. Swimming with others or with a lifeguard present can greatly increase your chances of survival in the event of a medical emergency or accident in the water.

Some of the other key factors that influence the risk of drowning or swimming pool accident injuries include:

1. Inadequate swimming ability of both children and adults. Taking formal swimming classes can greatly decrease the risk of drowning.
2. Lack of proper barriers. For instance, pool fencing can help prevent young children from accidentally falling in the pool. The majority of drownings of young children happen in home swimming pools.
3. Lack of adequate warning signs or markings indicating water depth. Lack of markers indicating water depth may result in people diving head-first into shallow waters or non-confident swimmers finding themselves in deep waters. Diving into shallow waters often results in severe injuries to the head or spinal cord.
4. Lack of trained supervision to vigilantly watch over swimmers and prevent drowning. Lifeguards need to be on the lookout at all times because devastating drowning deaths can happen almost instantly and with little noise. Failure of a lifeguard to pay attention to swimmers can result in drownings or severe brain injuries due to lack of oxygen to the brain.
5. Alcohol use. Alcohol use is a factor for as many as 70% of teenagers and adults involved in water recreational drownings.

If you, or a loved one, suffered a serious injury or drowned because of someone else’s negligence, you should act fast to pursue your legal rights. There are strict time constraints applicable to drowning and near-drowning accidents. Contact Jed Dietrich, Esq. and his top rated drowning accident lawyers in Buffalo, New York NOW at 716-839-3939 so that we can help you. Jed Dietrich, Esq. and his aggressive, tenacious and hardworking legal team will fight to obtain the best result for you.

To prevent drownings, swimming pool owners and facilities should keep all lifesaving gear readily available and nearby the deck of the pool. All safety equipment should be in good working condition in the event of an emergency.

Although regulations differ depending on the type of pool and its location, the following is a list of the common swimming pool safety equipment that pools should maintain:

1. An automated external defibrillator (AED) which can be used in the event of sudden cardiac arrest.
2. A fully equipped first aid kit stored in a weather-resistant container that is readily available and stocked for use.
3. One rescue tube with an attached webbed or polypropylene towline for every lifeguard on duty.
4. A light, long and sturdy reaching pole with a securely attached body hook for pulling swimmers out of the water.
5. A ring buoy no less than 15-24 inches in diameter attached securely to a throwing rope.
6. Backboards with at least 3 tie-down straps and a head immobilizer to be able to safely transport injured swimmers.
7. Suctioning devices to clear any blockage in the victim’s airway and help them breathe.
8. Resuscitators to deliver oxygen into the drowning victim’s lungs.
9. Survival blankets to help prevent hypothermia and aid with shock treatment.
10. A written safety plan to follow which includes supervision, injury prevention, procedures for reacting to emergencies, providing first aid and getting assistance.

The State of New York and Erie County have numerous requirements, rules and regulations pertaining to swimming pool safety. The Department of Health strives to limit the amount of swimming pool related injuries and deaths throughout New York. There are various minimum requirements and standards regarding the installation, construction and maintenance of swimming pools.

Specific laws directed towards safety and prevention of drowning fatalities necessitate both appropriate rescue tools and pool supervision. Any swimming pool that is found to be in violation of New York’s rules will face liability for injured swimmers’ civil claims.

If you, or someone you loved, drowned or nearly drowned because a pool was in violation of New York’s rules regarding rescue tools, contact Jed Dietrich, Esq. today. The Dietrich Law Firm P.C.’s team of highly experienced and top rated Buffalo, New York drowning accident attorneys will strive to obtain the best result possible for your drowning or near-drowning injury. Contact us today at 716-839-3939 for your free consultation. We can be reached 24 hours per day and 7 days per week.

Call the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. immediately at 716-839-3939 so that our aggressive, tenacious and hardworking personal injury lawyers can fight to obtain the best result for your personal injury claim in Buffalo, New York. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and there is never a fee until we WIN for you!