Wrongful Death Due to
Drowning & Defective Pool Drains

Washington, D.C., Maryland & Virginia

Normal pool operation involves cycling the water through a filtration system. In order to do this, water must be sucked out of the pool through the drain. The drain cover protects swimmers from being trapped by the suction. A defective or missing drain cover can cause swimmers to be trapped in the drain by their hair or clothing and catastrophic injuries and even wrongful death can occur.

Extreme Suction

When a pool drain becomes partially blocked the suction increases. The suction can become so strong that it is impossible to pry the victim from the drain even with the manpower of several adults. In these cases, the only way to loosen the victim is to turn the system off. When hair, clothing, hands or feet are caught in this suction the victim is held underwater and if not released quickly is likely to drown.

Defective Drain Covers

Defective drain covers include those which are:

• Broken or cracked
• Loose
• Missing
• Improperly attached
• Brittle and failing

Prevention

All pool drains should be regularly inspected and properly maintained. Any defective, failing, or missing drain should be replaced immediately, and no one should be allowed into the pool until the problem is resolved.

All pools should be equipped with an emergency shut-off switch that is visible and easily accessible.

There are also systems which can prevent the problem even if a drain should somehow become blocked. One type of system which prevents entrapment uses two drains for each pump so that if one becomes blocked or restricted, water still flows from the other drain preventing elevated suction. Another system uses a special valve which detects a rise in suction and disables the vacuum before entrapment can occur.

If your child has been injured or killed due to negligent supervision in Maryland, Virginia or Washington DC, please e-mail our wrongful death attorneys or speak to one of our skilled daycare legal specialists before you settle with an insurance company. The attorneys at Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata & Siegel, P.C. are here to obtain justice for you.

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