In the United States, drowning incidents result in 4,000 fatalities and 8,000 visits to the emergency room each year. Common causes of these types of accidents include lack of swimming ability, drink, drugs, and prescription medications, unattended children, unsupervised swimming, inexperienced supervision, unprotected pools, failure to wear a life jacket, unconsciousness, and flooding disasters.
The owner of the property may occasionally be held accountable. If you have suffered in a drowning accident, or have lost a loved one in a drowning accident, contact Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707 for a free legal consultation.
Insufficient swimming ability
Many drowning victims have poor or no swimming skills. They run a serious risk of drowning if they end up in water that they cannot stand in. They will be unable to get to a safe place and will have trouble staying afloat. Because of their poor swimming abilities, if they are not saved right away, they risk drowning.
These folks typically steer clear of waters that could pose a threat to them. However, they still risk drowning if they crash a car into a body of water, attempt to save someone else from drowning, find themselves in the path of floodwater, attempt to teach themselves to swim alone, go swimming while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or swim in water with poor water clarity that makes it appear shallower than it is.
Accidents involving drowning can result from alcohol consumption
Alcohol consumption and impairment decreases your reaction times, causes you to overestimate your physical talents, and makes you more likely to take risks. It also decreases your coordination, balance, judgment, and physical prowess.
Up to 70% of victims in fatal drownings involving a leisurely aquatic activity, like boating, have alcohol in their blood. A person’s chance of dying while boating increases ten times for those with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.10 percent compared to those who have not been drinking.
Utilizing illicit substances or prescription drugs can lead to drowning accidents
A drowning accident can also result from the use of illicit substances or prescribed pharmaceuticals. Some medications, notably those used to treat psychotropic diseases like anxiety, depression, bipolar illness, and schizophrenia.
Unsupervised kids are at a higher risk of drowning
Leaving children unaccompanied near a body of water is a leading cause of death by drowning. The water body need not be very big. It might be something with only an inch of water, such as a bucket, hot tub, bathtub, pond, stream, or brook, as well as a swimming pool.
These unintentional fatalities might also occur suddenly. A minute or two is all it takes for an oxygen shortage to result in catastrophic or even fatal medical issues. Moreover, drowning youngsters hardly ever make any noise.
Notice that around the world, the highest drowning rates comprise minors ages one through four and then minors five through nine. The child’s inability to swim and insufficient supervision are frequently the causes of these incidents. Many young people simply lack the stability to maintain themselves.
If you have suffered in a drowning accident or lost a loved one to a drowning accident, contact Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707 to see how you might hold the at-fault party accountable for their negligence.
