A 6-year-old child is in the hospital after nearly drowning in a swimming pool accident the afternoon of July 18, 2009 in Chino. Chino police and firefighters responded after receiving calls about a possible drowning. While on the way to the call, they heard that someone on scene had pulled the child out of the community pool where he was swimming and had performed CPR. Paramedics administered first aid to the child, who was then airlifted to an area hospital. The child has been listed in critical condition. Police say other people were in the community pool when the near drowning happened. Family members of the child were also apparently in the area at the time. There is no further information about the cause of the near drowning incident.
My heart goes out to the family of this child. I wish the critically injured youngster the very best for a quick and complete recovery. Please keep this child in your prayers.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, in 2005, there were 3,582 unintentional fatal drownings in the United States. About 25 percent of these fatalities involved young children – 14 or younger. Four times as many children get emergency care for nonfatal injuries for every child who dies. In 2005, of all children aged 1 to 4 who died in the United States, 30 percent died from drowning. According to the National Center for Injury Prevention, in 2006, drowning was only second to car accidents as the most common cause of death in children aged 1 to 14.
Drowning or near-drowning is obviously a huge problem in Southern California, especially in the summer when most of us get together for poolside parties and barbecues. Our swimming pool accident attorneys are consulted in a number of cases each summer by parents of children seriously injured in swimming pool accidents--be it at a day camp, a community pool, club or neighbor's house.
If a child gets injured in your pool under your watch, you could be held liable for those injuries. If you have a swimming pool in your backyard, it is critical to make sure that it is fenced and properly secured so children cannot wander in by accident. Constant supervision is also extremely important when children are playing the water. Drowning can happen silently and within a few seconds. Near drowning accidents can also result in catastrophic brain injury because when a person remains underwater even for a short period of time, oxygen supply to the brain could get cut off. The cost of treating such brain injuries can be extremely high and could even run into millions of dollars. If your child has been seriously injured in a swimming pool accident, please consult with an experienced California personal injury lawyer to find out how you can pursue your legal rights.
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