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Welcome to the April Edition of the Bisnar Chase Ezine

There are hundreds of thousands of swimming pools in California and, as spring time rolls around, it's important for parents of young children to refresh themselves on swimming pool safety.

Swimming pools--regardless of the style--pose a number of safety risks for small kids. In this month's ezine I'm going to share a few tips for making sure your children are safe whenever they're around a swimming pool. As always, if you have any questions or comments regarding swimming pool accidents feel free to contact our firm at 1-800-561-4887.

To a safe and enjoyable summer,

-- John Bisnar

In this issue:

Meet Victoria D. Simon
Personal Injury Tip
In the Blog
Our Charity Work
Swimming Pool Accident Attorneys

Personal Injury Tip

Drowning is one of the most common causes of accidents leading to serious injury or death in children--and since there are many residential pools throughout California, it is vitally important for you to understand how to keep your children safe and share your knowledge with anybody who might be supervising your kids.

Here are 8 tips for protecting your children around swimming pools:

Always Have Supervision: You should never allow a child to swim alone; an adult who can swim should always monitor him or her. It's not uncommon for children to develop cramps or hit their heads while swimming, so you need to be prepared to help at all times.
Swimming Classes: As soon as your children are four years of age, they should attend a certified swimming class or at least learn fundamental flotation and life-saving techniques in case of an accident. Children younger than four should always be accompanied by a parent in the pool.
Restrict Access: If you own a backyard pool, always have it enclosed by a high fence with either latched or locked gates to prevent unauthorized access when not in use. This will help keep your kids away from the hazards and limit the risk of a swimming pool accident.
Cover it Correctly: Swimming pool covers are great for controlling the water temperature and keeping the pool clean, but they also pose the risk of having children swim under them or walk on top. Always cover your pool completely when it isn't in use. And always teach your children to stay out of the pool when the cover is on.
Safety Devices: You should have safety devices--such as flotation devices, a shepherd's hook, and life preservers--nearby so you can deal with an emergency quickly and effectively.
Have a Clean Area: Although it's fine for children to play with water toys when they are in the pool, you need to do your best to avoid unnecessary clutter. If your kids aren't using an item, they should place it in an organized storage area to limit the risk of injury to themselves or others.
Emergency Training: Any adult supervising your children while they're swimming should have certifications for CPR and First Aid. You should also have an emergency phone line near the pool.
Have Fun: With all that said, the swimming pool was built for fun. By joining your children and jumping into the pool as well, you'll be able to monitor their safety and enjoy their company at all times!

The best way to ensure swimming pool safety is to educate yourself and your children, recognize risks, and react quickly to prevent harm. These eight tips are essential in keeping your children safe while they enjoy their time in the pool.

In the Blog

Here are a few of the most recent swimming pool accident stories, as covered on www.CaliforniaInjuryBlog.com:

March 3: Near-Drowning in Rialto Backyard Swimming Pool
February 4: Toddler Survives Orange County Near-Drowning Incident
January 19: Toddler Critically Injured in Indio Swimming Pool Accident

Visit the blog today to receive regular updates on local injuries and accidents in California.

Our Charity Work

Bisnar Chase Sponsors Summer Internship Program; Avon Walk for Breast Cancer

Because community involvement is very important to us, in the coming months our firm will be participating in two very worthy causes: the Summer Employment with Law Firms (SELF) program and the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer.

SELF Program

Administered by the Orange County Chapter of the Association of Legal Administrators (OC-ALA), in collaboration with the Orange County Bar Foundation, this program provides low-income teens paid summer internships at law firms and law-related agencies. Like many of our fellow law firms involved in the program, we'll employ one or more high school students for 30 hours each week for eight weeks, from June 22nd through August 14th, paying each a total of $2,000 during the entire internship.

It's an extremely valuable and unique program and we hope this experience with our law firm will help our intern learn what life is like at a small, but upscale personal injury law firm. We also hope that our intern will learn what it means to be a team player with a winning attitude and be inspired to succeed in life, helping others in the process.

For more information about the SELF Program, contact: Toni Burnside at (714) 558-7000 or tburnwide@wss-law.com for more information.

Avon Walk for Breast Cancer

We're sponsoring Yulee Schafer in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer occurring this June in Chicago, IL. Our staff members will donate toward her $1,800 goal giving her entry into the two-day, 39-mile event. The money raised helps pay for medical treatment for underinsured men and women and supports breast cancer research.

In her second straight year participating in the Avon walk, Yulee will walk as a member of the team the "Yes Mamms." She's participating because of the history of cancer in her family. "I have several family members and friends who have been diagnosed with breast cancer," said Yulee. "I also have two young daughters and I don't want them to ever face it. I just want breast cancer to be a chapter in our medical history like the plague." Yulee is an employee at the sister law firm of Mike Schafer Law in Louisville, Kentucky. We're very proud to know her. She inspires us all to do something about the problems we face in life.

To support Yulee, contact her via email at: yulee@mikeschaferlaw.com or call her at 502-608-2687. For more information about the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer, go to: www.avonwalk.org

Swimming Pool Accident Attorneys

California is second only to Florida in swimming pool-related injuries and deaths in the United States. Bisnar Chase has represented numerous families and individuals who have suffered severe injuries or death in a swimming pool.

Our aggressive personal injury lawyers are dedicated to achieving the best possible results for seriously injured victims and their families. Contact us today if you need a free evaluation with an experienced swimming pool accident attorney--and if you don't, please keep us in mind in case your friends, family members, or casual acquaintances ever need an expert personal injury lawyer in California.

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