With summer just around the corner, pools will soon be filled with excited children, jumping and diving and swimming to cool off.
While parents understand the inherent danger of drowning in pools, few may have heard of the deadly phenomenon known as suction entrapment.
What it is
Pools, especially the older models, have grated drain covers over their plumbing and water circulation systems. Sometimes, these get disengaged or are removed by the children. When his occurs, they then entrap with 350 lbs. of pressure per eight-inch drain pump.
Those unfortunate swimmers who get their hair, head, limbs or torso stuck to the strong suction typically drown before they can be rescued or the pump turned off. Some children have even had their internal organs eviscerated from their bodies from contact with an uncovered pool drain.
These are preventable injuries
Nearly 100% of pool entrapment deaths and injuries are preventable by the property owners updating their pool equipment to comply with current safety standards that guard against suction entrapment. Regular inspection and maintenance of all aspects of the pool suction and drain systems allow for early intervention before the circumstances claim another innocent swimmer’s life.
California’s premises liability laws govern these cases
If you have lost a child or other loved one in an incident of suction entrapment, you already know that no sum of money will ever return your loved one to life. But taking this path to civil justice holds negligent property owners liable for their actions or failure to act and can prevent the same tragedy from upending another family’s lives.
Filing a claim for damages is the first step in initiating litigation for premises liability after a tragedy caused by suction entrapment in a pool.