Swimming pools are considered a part of premise liability law. A pool owner is responsible for making sure that their properties are reasonably safe and may be held financially responsible if anyone becomes injured while using the swimming pool. There are several issues that might arise from a swimming pool that might lead to you deciding that it is a good idea to contact a personal injury lawyer.

Common Reasons for Liability

If you are injured while using a swimming pool, this doesn't mean that you will automatically be entitled to compensation for your injuries. The property owner will also need to be negligent for this to be considered an act of negligence and for you to be entitled to compensation. One common example of negligence is when the pool is unreasonably slippery. You might slip and hit your head by the side of the pool or you might fall into the pool. However, you may not be able to prove that the swimming pool was unreasonably slippery.

Another problem that arises is when the equipment is defective. For example, you might try to use a slide that tips over or you might use a diving board that breaks. The ladder used to climb out of the swimming pool might be unstable. Even worse is when the swimming pool is too shallow for diving but there are no warning signs and there may even be a diving board present. Also if there are any hidden obstructions, you should be warned about them or else the property owner may be held liable.

Other Liable Parties

There may be another party who is liable for your injury. For example, the pool might be constructed in a way where another guest doesn't see you and jumps on top of you while jumping in the pool. Or, the guest might have simply not been paying attention when jumping on you. You'll need help from a lawyer to help determine who is liable.

Defenses Against Swimming Pool Liability

The pool owner will likely do everything possible to reduce liability. One common argument is that the actions you took were the primary cause of your injury. For example, you might have been accused of engaging in horseplay while nearby the pool. Therefore, you'll need help from a personal injury attorney to craft an effective argument for why you were not actually responsible for the accident. Even if you are found to only be partially at fault, this may improve your settlement.

Reach out to a personal injury lawyer for more information.