Travel is fun — that’s why we’re here, right? But sometimes things happen, and that moves the fun needle into a not-so-fun experience. I’ve always advocated travel insurance for anyone embarking on a vacation. When I travel with my grandkids who are little fishies who love hotel pools, what happens when there’s a hotel swimming pool accident? Read on for some tips on how to file a claim for hotel swimming pool accidents.
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How To File A Claim For Hotel Swimming Pool Accidents
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It is a terrible experience when you go swimming at a hotel resort and wind up with unexpected personal injuries. Pools are a source of danger for children and adults and can result in liability if the hotelier doesn’t provide a safe environment.
When you believe that the hotel is responsible for your swimming pool accident, you should speak with a personal injury lawyer who can investigate your case. If the hotel can be proved negligent, then you can receive a settlement for your damages.
What Types of Hotel Swimming Pool Accidents Happen?
When you get into hotel swimming pool accidents, it doesn’t always have to be caused by drowning:
Drowning
This is when you are submerged underwater and unable to breathe.
Diving Board Injuries
This happens when the diving board is broken or does not meet protocol, i.e. the diving board is too high for a shallow pool.
Near Drowning
If you almost drowned due to an accident, you still can have damage to the brain and lungs.
Contamination
When the pool isn’t properly maintained and de-sanitized, this can result in bacterial overgrowth and infection.
Swimming Pool Slides
Sometimes pool slides are defective and can break, resulting in injury.
Electrical Defects
When there is poor maintenance of pool areas, there may be electrical wiring exposed which puts pool guests at risk of being electrocuted.
Slips and Falls
If the walkways around the pool lack the proper grips or don’t have enough drainage clearing away stagnant water, this can lead to slip and fall accidents.
Drowning by Entrapment
This is when a person gets caught underwater, either due to a defective drainage pump or something that is broken snagging onto their clothing.
Pool Toy Attraction
Children are often lured into an empty pool because there are floating toys in the water. When no one is safeguarding the pool, all pool toys should be removed.
How Do I File a Claim for Hotel Swimming Pool Accidents?
According to LM&W, P.A., after a swimming pool accident, you should take steps to begin gathering evidence. You can then speak with a swimming pool accident attorney to see if there is a case for negligence.
Take Pictures
After the accident, you need to photograph the injuries, the scene where the accident happened, and what devices may have malfunctioned. For example, if your child almost died because a safety vest had a broken buckle, take a picture of it.
Get Medical Help
Even if you escaped drowning, you should still get medical help. If you were unable to breathe for an extended amount of time, this may have caused hypoxia, which can result in brain injuries. If you dived off a broken board that wasn’t properly maintained and only slightly bumped your head, you still should get medical treatment to ensure you don’t have a mild concussion.
Speak to the Hotel Manager
After your swimming accident, you will need to reach out to the hotel manager and let them know what happened. They will contact their insurance company and begin working with you to remedy the situation.
Don’t Accept a Settlement
Even if you are strapped financially and need money for your medical bills after your swimming pool accident, you shouldn’t accept any settlement offers from the other party’s insurance company. Seek the help of your attorney first and get advice to make sure you aren’t receiving a far smaller settlement than you deserve.
Contact an Attorney
You can speak with a swimming pool accident attorney to get additional information on what you need to do next. Your attorney will investigate your claim and seek additional evidence to discover whether the other party is responsible for your injuries. They will also begin negotiating the terms of your settlement once they have enough proof that the hotel owner is at fault.
Learn More About Swimming Accident Claims
You can find out more about swimming accident claims by speaking with an attorney. They can inform you on how the process works.