According to data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), each year there are around 800 child drownings. Furthermore, drowning is the top cause of injury-related death for kids ages 1-3 and the second most common cause among children under 15.
These statistics demonstrate just how risky water can be for kids and, in turn, why it’s so important to take measures to protect your children whenever they’re in or anywhere near a body of water. With this in mind, our Bucks County drowning accident lawyer is here with some tips that will prevent your kids from being injured or worse as they splash around this summer:
- Outfit your children with the proper safety gear – While inflatable inner tubes and arm floaties can help kids stay afloat, they aren’t meant to save a drowning child. To be protected against drowning, your children need to wear life vests that are approved by the U.S. Coast Guard whenever they’re on a boat or in/close to deep or swiftly moving water.
- Keep small children within an arm’s reach of you – If you choose to bring a young child who can’t swim in the vicinity of a body of water, make sure the child is never more than an arm’s length away from you. Small children can find their way to the water and start to drown in mere seconds, so it’s imperative to keep a close watch over them at all times. If you need to leave the area for any reason, bring your child with you or leave him/her under the close supervision of another adult you trust.
- Choose appropriate swimming areas – Designated swimming areas exist for a reason: to keep swimmers safe. Moreover, our drowning accident lawyer in Bucks County highly recommends making sure your kids stay in areas that have been approved for swimming and are being actively supervised by a lifeguard. But don’t assume that your children are safe and you can look away just because a lifeguard is watching – on busy days, it can be difficult to spot someone who is drowning, so it’s your duty to carefully supervise your children.
- Be ready for an emergency – If a child starts to drown, every second matters, so you need to jump into action right away. To ensure that you’re prepared to do so, always keep a cell phone nearby any time you’re around a body of water. In addition, learn CPR – in the event that a child begins to drown, it’s critical that you begin performing CPR on him/her immediately and continue doing so until the medics arrive.
Water-related activities are a great way to cool off and have fun during summer, but it’s important to recognize the hazards they pose for kids. To minimize the risk of a child you love drowning, be sure to follow the safety steps our Bucks County drowning accident lawyer has outlined above.
Mr. Gary Heslin Has Extensive Experience with Drowning Cases
Even when you do your absolute best to keep kids safe around water, there’s always a chance that a drowning accident may occur. In some cases, the owners of the facility where the child drowns can be held responsible for the tragedy. However, proving that someone else is liable for the incident can be difficult and therefore requires the assistance of a skilled drowning accident attorney in Bucks County.
With years of experience fighting for the rights of preventable accident victims and their families, Mr. Gary Heslin can help you seek justice if someone you love drowns. A few years ago, Mr. Heslin represented a family after their 14-year-old son drowned in a public pool. After hiring a swimming pool expert, Mr. Heslin found that the pool’s owners were at fault because the lifeguard stands were too low for the lifeguards to properly spot drowning individuals. At the family’s request, Mr. Heslin settled the case for $750,000, although he believes he could have done better if the case had gone to trial.
It’s settlements like this one that have earned Mr. Heslin his reputation for being the drowning accident lawyer Bucks County families can depend on in their time of need. While we sincerely hope you never have to call on him, we urge you to keep in mind that Mr. Heslin will always be here to offer you expert legal assistance. In the event that you need a trustworthy Bucks County drowning accident attorney, call (215) 332-0300 to set up a free consultation with Mr. Heslin.