Sonoma Swimming Pool Accident Lawyer

Like the rest of California, Sonoma enjoys beautiful, sunny weather throughout the entire year. It is for this reason that so many California homeowners build residential pools on their properties. In fact, there are approximately two million residential pools throughout the Golden State. Although swimming pools provide a great way to exercise and can help cool you off on a hot day, they are not without their risk. Drowning is the second leading cause of death for children between the ages of one and five in California. If you or someone you love suffered harm in someone else’s pool, you may be able to file a claim against the property owner. Our Sonoma swimming pool accident lawyer can help your family claim the full and fair damages you deserve.

Swimming pool accidents fall under a category of personal injury law known as premises liability. Under the premises liability laws of the state, all property owners must make sure their property is safe for others to enter. When a dangerous condition exists on a property, owners must warn visitors of it so they do not become hurt. The insurance companies and the courts will consider if the property owner took reasonable measures to keep visitors safe. Leasers, controllers, and occupiers of properties also have the same responsibility to make sure the premises are safe.

The premises liability laws in California also define swimming pools as a dangerous condition. They are known as ‘attractive nuisances,’ and property owners are responsible for ensuring no one becomes injured in or around the pool. Property owners must also make sure no one, particularly children, can enter the pool area unsupervised so they do not become hurt. Any property owner who fails to meet this standard of care is negligent and can be held liable with the help of a swimming pool accident lawyer in Sonoma.

California’s Swimming Pool Safety Act outlines seven safety measures, but pool owners are only required to comply with two of them. The seven measures are as follows:

• Install removable mesh netting according to specific standards set forth by the American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM). Pools must also have a self-latching and self-closing mechanism on a gate that surrounds the area.
• Cover the pool with safety equipment as outlined by ASTM F1346.
• Use an exit alarm on any home door that provides direct access to the pool.
• Install self-latching and self-closing devices on any door that gives direct access to the pool, and ensure the device is at least 54 inches from the floor.
• Install a swimming pool alarm that sounds when anyone enters the pool who does not have authorization.
• Install an enclosure according to certain specifications that separates the pool from the home.
• Any other safety precaution that meets the minimum standards set forth by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers or the ASTM.

If you or someone you love has been hurt in a swimming pool, you may be able to file a claim for compensation. At Brod Law Firm, our Sonoma swimming pool accident attorney can determine if the property owner is liable and hold them fully accountable for paying the full damages your family needs. Call us now at (800) 427-7020 or reach out to us online to schedule a free consultation.