New York Personal Injury Lawyer Kenneth A. Wilhelm Discusses Importance of Swimming Pool Safety after Staten Island Drowning
New York, N.Y. (PRWEB) August 25, 2014 -- A 3-year-old boy died in a July 24 Staten Island swimming pool accident. According to a news report in The New York Times, the fatal accident occurred in a daycare center where the boy's mother worked. The child slipped the attention of his step-grandfather, his mother and other workers at the center, climbed over a fence and went into the pool, the report stated. His mother was the first to spot the boy floating face down in the pool and took him out of the water, but he died shortly afterward, according to the article.
"This is indeed a tragic accident, which may have been prevented," said New York personal injury lawyer Kenneth A. Wilhelm. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to the child's family members."
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), children ages 1 to 4 have the highest drowning rates. In 2009, among children in that age group who died from an unintentional injury, more than 30 percent died from drowning. CDC statistics also show that among children in the 1 to 4 age group, most drowning incidents occur in home swimming pools and that drowning remains the second leading cause of unintentional injury-related death behind motor vehicle crashes.
Swimming pool accidents, especially those involving young children, are preventable, Wilhelm said. "The most important step parents and caregivers can take is to provide constant supervision for their little ones when they are in or near water. Even a momentary distraction can lead to a tragic swimming pool accident."
Here are some of Wilhelm's tips for parents and caregivers to ensure safety in the water:
• Install a four-sided pool fence that is at least 4 feet high.
• Use self-closing and self-latching gates that open outward. The latches must be out of the reach of children.
• Consider additional barriers such as automatic door locks and alarms to prevent access or alert you if someone enters the pool area.
• Clear the pool and deck of toys so children are not tempted to enter the pool area unsupervised.
• Supervise young children at all times. If they are in the pool, stay within arm's length of the child.
Contacting the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm
For questions or comments please contact the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm. Our New York personal injury attorneys can help victims and families with their swimming pool accident cases. We can also help with personal injury cases in New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, or Florida.
The TOLL FREE phone numbers for us are:
1-800-WORK-4-YOU (1-800-967-5496),1-800-RADIO-LAW, 1-888-WYPADEK, OR 1-800-LAS-LEYES
The Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm
445 Park Ave, 9th Floor
New York, NY 10022
(212) 545-7373
Please visit us at: http://www.WORK4YOULAW.com
Kenneth A. Wilhelm, The Law Offices Of Kenneth A. Wilhelm, http://www.work4youlaw.com, (212) 545-7373, [email protected]
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