Swimming Pool Accidents

Sophia Pham-Chang, 2, of Diamond Bar was killed in an Orange County swimming pool accident after she was found unresponsive in the bottom of the pool. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the swimming pool accident occurred on South Heath Terrace in Anaheim, the evening of June 26, 2011. Adults and children were all around the pool area but no one saw the toddler fall into the pool. The family administered CPR and emergency crews brought her to a nearby hospital but she succumbed to her injuries that night. Officials say the pool floor was colored black, which may have prevented the adults from spotting the child in the water sooner. An investigation is ongoing.

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A 2-year-old boy was hospitalized after he suffered serious injuries in a swimming pool accident. According to a report in the Los Angeles Daily News, the swimming pool accident occurred off North Cerrillos Drive in Woodland Hills the afternoon of May 31, 2011. The young victim was conscious when he was put aboard the helicopter that airlifted him to UCLA Medical Center. He is said to be in stable condition. It is unclear how the 2-year-old fell into the pool or how long he was in there.

My thoughts and prayers are with the young victim of this swimming pool accident. I wish him a complete and speedy recovery.

Swimming Pool Accidents

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), drowning is the second leading cause of all unintentional deaths for children aged 1 to14. Drowning is the leading cause of death for infants in 14 states, including California. Children under the age of 5 are 14 times more likely to be involved in a fatal swimming pool accident than a fatal car crash. Read the rest »

A 3-year-old boy suffered injuries in swimming pool accident the afternoon of March 23, 2011. According to a news report in The Press-Enterprise, the near-drowning incident occurred in a backyard pool in the 48800 block of Legacy Drive in La Quinta. The child was breathing and conscious when taken to the hospital. Officials are looking into what caused this near-drowning incident.

It is indeed fortunate that this did not turn into a fatal incident. My thoughts and prayers are with this little boy. I sincerely hope he makes a quick and complete recovery.

Swimming Pool Accident Statistics

According to a 2007 report by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there were 3,443 fatal unintentional drowning incidents in the United States. The report also states that fatal drowning is the "second-leading cause of unintentional injury-related death for children ages 1 to 14 years." Nonfatal drowning incidents or near-drowning can cause brain injuries and brain damage that may result in long-term disabilities including memory problems, learning disabilities, and permanent loss of basic functioning. Read the rest »

A 3-year-old boy was seriously injured in a Ventura swimming pool accident the morning of March 1, 2011. According to a news report in The Ventura County Star, the near-drowning incident occurred on Solano Verde Drive in an unincorporated area of Ventura County. A family member rescued the boy after he was found in the pool. The boy was not breathing at the time, but was said to be awake when emergency personnel arrived. The extent of the toddler's injuries is not known at this time. It is also unclear how the boy fell into the pool.

My thoughts and prayers are with the 3-year-old boy and his family following this Ventura County swimming pool accident. I wish him a complete and speedy recovery from his injuries.

Swimming Pool Accident Statistics

According to a 2007 report by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there were 3,443 fatal unintentional drowning incidents in the United States. The report also states that fatal drowning is the "second-leading cause of unintentional injury-related death for children ages 1 to 14 years." Near-drowning incidents are extremely serious because they can result in catastrophic injuries, including brain injuries, when the oxygen supply to the brain is cut off. Read the rest »

A 3-year-old boy was hospitalized after suffering a near drowning in an Orange County swimming pool accident in an Irvine, California, community pool the night of July 25, 2009, The Orange County Register reports. On July 26, 2009, another 3-year-old boy in Fullerton suffered a near-drowning in a backyard swimming pool accident, the newspaper reports. Both boys are said to be recovering. Read the rest »

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. Read the rest »

A 4-year-old boy was hospitalized the evening of June 17, 2009 after a swimming pool accident at a Palm Springs resort and spa, The Desert Sun reports. Joe Cahalan, a hotel guest from Orange County, apparently saved the child's life and carried him from the swimming pool at the Spa Resort Casino, after he spotted the boy underneath the water. Cahalan told the paper that the boy was at least a foot underwater and that he may have been there for 30 or 60 seconds. The child was conscious when firefighters arrived and he was taken to an area hospital for treatment.

It's not known where the child's parents were. Apparently, the boy was with two other children, including a teenager. This is the second time in a month that a child has nearly drowned in a local hotel. On May 15, 2009, a girl was resuscitated after nearly drowning at Rancho Las Palmas Resort and Spa in Rancho Mirage. Read the rest »

An 11-year-old boy is in the hospital after a Porter Ranch swimming pool accident the afternoon of May 24, 2009, according to a CBS News report. The boy was pulled from a pool in Porter Ranch and was resuscitated by bystanders who performed CPR on him. The near drowning occurred at a community pool in the 19300 block of Crystal Springs Circle. The 11-year-old boy, who was wearing a life vest to swim, was apparently found floating face-down and not breathing after brief inattention by those watching him. The boy was airlifted to Children's Hospital in Los Angeles in serious condition.

I'm extremely relieved that this child did not drown in the pool. I hope and pray that he did not suffer catastrophic injuries and wish him the very best for a quick and complete recovery. Please keep this boy in your prayers. Read the rest »

A 2-year-old girl has been hospitalized in critical condition after she was personally injured in a Riverside swimming pool accident, CBS News reports. The toddler had nearly drowned in a backyard pool in the 11500 block of Valle Lindo the afternoon of May 3, 2009. Riverside County firefighters responded to the incident and took the girl by ambulance to an area hospital. The young victim's name was not released and there are no updates on her condition.

It is extremely fortunate that this little girl has survived this swimming pool accident at least as far as we know. Young children in near-drowning incidents can be left with catastrophic brain injuries because very often, in these cases, oxygen supply to the brain can get cut off. The cost of treating these brain injuries can be extremely high and could run into millions of dollars. I hope and pray that this little girl has a speedy and complete recovery.

Southern California has the highest number of swimming pool accidents in California. Los Angeles County has more than 200 near-drowning incidents on an average each year. Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties alone account for nearly half of all near-drowning incidents in California. Summer is almost here and almost every summer, the Bisnar | Chase law firm represents a family whose loved one drowned or almost drowned because of a homeowner's negligence. Southern California swimming pool accidents and near-drowning incidents can happen at any time. Almost always it happens quietly without warning and without any one noticing, during pool parties or family get-togethers.

In this particular incident, it's not really clear where the near-drowning occurred. Was the toddler in her own backyard? Was she placed under someone's care? Was she being supervised? If a child is placed in the care of a friend, an acquaintance, a babysitter or a neighbor and is involved in a swimming pool accident on their watch, then that person could be held liable for the personal injuries caused. If you believe your child was injured in a California swimming pool accident, please contact reputed California swimming pool accident attorneys, who can give you advice and information about how to pursue your legal rights.

Also, please be safe around the water as we are nearing the summer season. If you own a backyard pool, please be sure to install a gate around the pool and make sure it is locked at all times. Have a safe and enjoyable summer!