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Drowning Accidents

Swimming, whether that’s in a pool or lake, is a common activity among Iowans when temperatures begin to rise. During these hot summer days, most Iowa residents don’t have drowning or other swimming-related injuries on the forefront on their mind. However, unintentional drowning or sustaining a swimming injury is more common than one may think.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) detailed in a report from 2005-2014 that on average 3,535 drownings occur annually in the United States. If you break down the statistics, that means there are about 10 drowning-related deaths a day. What’s worse is that the majority of these fatalities are children under the age of 14. Not to mention victims of drowning who survive tend to suffer with the aftereffects of their injury for years to come.

If you’ve sustained a swimming injury or lost a loved one due to a drowning accident, you may want to get in contact with an experienced personal injury lawyer. You may be entitled to a monetary award based off your losses. To learn more, contact McCarthy & Hamrock, P.C..

West Des Moines Drowning Accident Lawyer | Swimming Injuries, Iowa

Drowning accidents are incredibly common in the United States, and those who don’t die from the event suffer from traumatic swimming injuries that are complex to treat. It’s not uncommon for medical professionals to not even catch on to how severe these injuries are until long after the accident occurs. By then, the damage has been done. Often victims of drowning suffer from memory issues, learning disabilities, and may even fall into a coma due to the extent of their injuries.

If you’ve sustained a swimming injury or someone you loved drowned due to another’s negligence, contact Gregory Landry of McCarthy & Hamrock, P.C.. With over 30 years of experience, he is prepared to take on any personal injury case no matter how complex. To set up your first consultation with an experienced drowning, swimming, or boating accident lawyer, call McCarthy & Hamrock, P.C. at (515) 279-9700.

We are based in West Des Moines, but accept clients throughout the greater Des Moines, Polk County, and Dallas County area including Perry, Polk City, Altoona, and Ankeny.

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Pool Drowning Statistics

Most people don’t consider the dangers of swimming when they take a dip in a pool or lake. According to the CDC, over three thousand people suffer from a swimming injury or die due to drowning every year. Listed below are some statistics collected by the agency in relation to drowning accidents.

  • From the years 2005-2014 a report by the CDC found that approximately 3,500 people die from drowning annually
  • These numbers mean that at least 10 people die every day from drowning in the U.S.
  • 1 in 5 people who have drowned are under the age of 14
  • Drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury-related death for children who are between the ages of 1-14 years old
  • The statistics indicate that for every child whose died from drowning another 5 have received emergency care for a type of nonfatal submersion injury
  • More than 5% of people who drowned were rushed to the hospital for further care
  • Males are 3.7 times more likely to die of drowning than females

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Common Swimming Injuries

Of course, the ultimate fear anyone can have while swimming is the possibility of drowning. However, many are unaware of how serious a swimming or submersion injury can be. Those suffering with submersion injuries tend to struggle with lifelong side effects from their injuries and may have added medical conditions as a result of it. That is because if someone is deprived of enough oxygen it can harm their body, especially the brain.

Listed below are some common injuries that may occur from swimming/drowning.


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Recovering from a Swimming Injury

Circumstances unique to swimming pools and other aquatic areas can unfortunately cause injury especially if the premises have slippery surfaces, diving boards, lack of pool gates, and faulty draining systems. Although the majority of swimming pool and drowning incidents involve children, adults are just as susceptible to submersion injuries and even death. Those who suffer with these injuries or the wrongful death of a loved one are often faced with serious expenses ranging from medical treatment to funeral costs.

Swimming pool accidents and most drownings caused by negligence are cast under the umbrella of personal injury law known as premise liability. The purpose of this sect of law is to hold negligent property owners accountable when they fail to adequately maintain their premises or effectively remove, repair, or warn visitors of dangerous hazards on the property. If the property owner knowingly does not perform their duties, then they could be liable for damages if an injury occurs.

To bring a premise liability claim, you’ll have to prove the following elements to the court:

  • You were either injured or someone died due to a defective or dangerous condition
  • The property owner knew or should have reasonably known about the condition
  • They failed to properly remove, repair, or warn visitors of the condition
  • You or the person who died were lawfully on the property when the accident happened
  • The dangerous condition/hazard was not obvious and couldn’t have been easily avoided
  • You or the person who died was acting reasonably and didn’t display acts of negligence
  • You were injured/suffered from damages due to the dangerous condition or someone died because of the dangerous condition

If you’re successful, then the court will grant you a monetary award based on your damages. Please note, damages are any economic or non-economic losses you’ve suffered from due to your injuries or a loved one’s wrongful death. Some damages you may recover from include:

  • Medical treatment past and future
  • Physical rehabilitation if necessary
  • Lost wages
  • Pain and suffering
  • Mental anguish
  • Loss of consortium

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Additional Resources

Drowning Facts by the CDC– The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a study regarding unintentional pool drownings in the U.S. Access the site to learn various statistics about drowning involving children, adults, the riskiest age ranges to swim, information about some racial and ethnic groups, and people who have seizure disorders.

Drowning | Iowa Public Health Tracking Portal – Visit the official website for the Iowa Public Health Tracking Portal to learn more about drowning incidents in the state. Access the site to learn more about the various number of deaths each year, graphs to illustrate these stats, and other various statistics related to causes of death.


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Swimming Pool Accident Lawyer, Des Moines IA

Are you suffering from a swimming injury or lost a loved one to drowning because of a negligent property owner? Contact the experienced and skilled personal injury lawyer Gregory Landry at McCarthy & Hamrock, P.C.. With decades of experience, Gregory Landry can evaluate the facts of your case and determine if you’re entitled to a monetary award. If you do, he can then aggressively advocate for you and ensure you’re aware of the process every step of the way.

Call our offices today for a confidential consultation with Gregory Landry at (515) 279-9700. McCarthy & Hamrock, P.C. accepts clients throughout the greater Des Moines, Polk County, and Dallas County area including Adel, Dallas Center, Perry, Waukee, Minburn, West Des Moines, Woodward, De Soto, Ankeny, Altoona, Polk City, Pleasant Hill, Johnston and Bondurant.


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