If you or a loved one were injured or faced wrongful death because of a drowning accident, you may want to consider your legal options. Read on and reach out to our skilled personal injury attorneys today. Our legal team is dedicated to ensuring you obtain the compensation you need to move forward.
What are the most common causes of drowning accidents in Pennsylvania?
Whether it is fatal or non-fatal, drowning can have a serious impact on victims and their loved ones. Those who survive may end up with severe brain damage and other debilitating outcomes. Because of this, accidents most often arise from the following:
- Not being able to swim: Many adults and children have reported that they do not know how to swim or that they are not strong swimmers.
- Missing or ineffective fences around water: Without barriers, such as fencing, young children can obtain access to the pool area fairly easily without their caregivers’ attention.
- Lack of close supervision: Drowning can occur quickly and quietly anywhere there is water, especially in unsupervised children. It can happen in lakes, oceans, pools, bathtubs, and even buckets of water. In some instances, it can occur in places where lifeguards are present.
- Location: When it comes to young children, for example, infants under a year old, anywhere can be potentially dangerous. Nonetheless, more than half of drownings among people fifteen years and older occur in natural waters like lakes, rivers, or oceans.
- Not wearing life jackets: Life jackets can stop drowning during water activities, especially boating and swimming.
- Alcohol consumption: Particularly prevalent among adolescents and adults, alcohol use is affected in:
- Up to seventy percent of deaths associated with water recreation
- Nearly a quarter of emergency department visits for drowning
- About twenty percent of boating deaths
- Use of drugs and prescription medications: Keep in mind that even medications lawfully prescribed can have side effects similar to the consumption of alcohol.
How typical are drowning accidents in Pennsylvania?
Unfortunately, in the United States, more children ages one to four die from drowning than any other cause of death except birth defects. For children ages one to fourteen, drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury death after motor vehicle crashes.
Do not wait to reach out to our firm today if you or a loved one has sustained injuries or wrongful death from drowning. At Friedman Schuman, our legal team will do whatever is necessary to hold negligent parties accountable. Give us a call today to get started. We are on your side.
CONTACT OUR EXPERIENCED PENNSYLVANIA FIRM
Friedman Schuman is an experienced and dedicated legal resource for clients throughout Pennsylvania. We proudly serve clients facing a wide range of legal matters. If you require the services of an effective attorney, please contact Friedman Schuman today to schedule a consultation.
