Understanding Personal Injury Law

What You Should Know About Swimming Pools And Potential Lawsuits

15 May 2016

Kristina Walker

With the warm weather of summer almost here, you may be eager to get your backyard swimming pool ready to go. While you have gotten to this point without any problems, having a swimming pool opens you up to potential lawsuits if someone is injured. That's why it's important that you are prepared for the possible legal dangers of owning a swimming pool.

Your Pool Could Cause An Injury When You're Not Around

While a private backyard pool is designed to be used by those that you invite over, it's possible for teenagers or adults take it upon themselves to sneak into your pool when they know you're not home.

While you are generally not responsible for an injury that occurs to somebody that trespasses on your property, this may only apply to strangers that you do not know who are truly trespassing and understand the dangers of using a swimming pool unsupervised. The problem is when an injury happens to somebody that you do know. Someone that you have invited over in the past, have given permission to use the pool, and decide to take you up on your offer when you are not around.

If you have an open invitation to friends, family, or neighbors to use your pool, you are putting yourself at risk for potential legal trouble. Make sure that boundaries have been set and that nobody is allowed to use your pool without you being home. It is the best way to protect you from someone getting injured.

Your Pool Is An Attractive Nuisance

Teenagers and adults generally know better when it comes to making responsible decisions. On the other hand, a young child can easily be influenced and may not be found liable for an injury that occurs to them because of that. This is especially true when it comes to a swimming pool.

Your pool may be on your own private property, but you are responsible for deterring others from illegally having access to the pool. This could include putting a locked fence around the yard so that others cannot get to it, covering the pool when nobody is around, and even putting up warning signs about the dangers of pool use. These steps may seem excessive, but it could be what saves you from a lawsuit.

If you do find yourself being sued because of an injury that occurred due to your pool, you'll need all the legal help you can get to fight it. Work with a personal injury lawyer like Charles Aaron PLC in your area that has experience with these types of cases.

Share