Nicer Weather Means Increase In Swimming-Related Accidents.

Summer is officially here in Ohio and as the weather continues heating up, people are beginning to frequent their local lakes and pools to cool down. Swimming is a fun and relaxing way to spend a hot day, however, it can also pose a number of safety risks that should be given consideration. According to a study done by the American Academy of Pediatrics, with more than 1,000 children drowning each year, it is the second leading cause of death in the United States among children ages 1 to 19.

As this blog has previously mentioned, owners of property, including pool and lake owners, owe certain duties to guests of their property. This obligation is referred to as premises liability, which is a theory of law that imposes a legal duty upon owners of certain premises to maintain that property in reasonably safe condition.

The nature of the duty owed by a property owner depends on the relationship between the owner and the individual who enters onto the property. These individuals are classified into three groups: (1) invitee (a person that enters onto the premises for business purposes or for the benefit of the owner); (2) licensee (a person that enters onto the premises fir social purposes); or (3) trespasser (a person that does not have permission to enter onto the premises).

If a lake or pool is being operated by a company or individual as a business for profit, then the patrons of the premises will be considered invitees. This means that the owner owes these invitees a duty to guarantee that the premises are not afflicted with any dangerous condition(s) that the owner knows about or should know about. These owners also have a duty to inspect their premises on a regular basis in order to discover potentially dangerous conditions.

The lawyers of DiCaudo, Pitchford & Yoder have successfully represented people injured by negligently maintained or supervised pools and lakes across Ohio. If you have been injured due to someone else's negligence, contact the experienced attorneys of DiCaudo, Pitchford & Yoder today.