West Palm Beach Personal Injury Lawyer at Gonzalez & Cartwright Comments on Swimming Safety for Children
Lake Worth, FL (PRWEB) June 08, 2014 -- Commenting on a recent news article detailing the efforts of numerous Florida youth organizations to prevent drowning accidents, West Palm Beach personal injury attorney Charles Cartwright of Gonzalez & Cartwright, P.A., said today the role of property owners and caregivers cannot be overlooked in ensuring child safety near swimming pools.
The news article, “Florida launches 'Eyes on the Kids' program to prevent drowning,” was published in the Tampa Bay Times on May 28. According to the article, the Florida Department of Children and Families and Florida Department of Health have partnered with statewide YMCAs and community organizations to promote water safety as part of the state’s “Eyes on the Kids” safety campaign.
“There are laws on the books to prevent pool accidents,” Cartwright said. “For example, Florida law requires physical barriers around pools. It’s also important to teach children to swim and it’s wise to know CPR, especially if you have a pool. But as the news article states, nothing is more important than effective supervision. It’s the responsibility of parents, babysitters, and other caregivers to monitor children at all times. A failure to do so could have deadly consequences.”
According to the Tampa Bay Times, the “Eyes on the Kids” program encourages adults to monitor children in swimming pools at all times and to avoid distractions such as text messages, household chores, or anything causing an adult to go inside and leave children unattended. Officials from the Department of Children and Families told the Tampa Bay Times adult supervision is the most effective means of preventing accidental drowning in Florida.
The Tampa Bay Times article indicated the safety campaign was created in light of growing concerns over child drowning accidents in Florida. According to the report, Florida loses the equivalent of about three preschool classrooms to drowning every year, despite safety campaigns and education classes each year.
“Accidents near swimming pools happen fast,” Cartwright said. “A child may slip and fall due to a slippery or uneven surface. An old fence or barrier may come apart, allowing children to enter a swimming pool unmonitored. Property owners have a moral and legal obligation to prevent these types of accidents. But that doesn’t mean that the responsibility only rests on the shoulders of the property owner in the event of an accident. It’s critical to get the message to parents, schools and youth organizations that fatal swimming pool accidents involving children can happen as a result of insufficient supervision.”
About Gonzalez & Cartwright, P.A.
Charles Cartwright obtained his law degree from the University of Miami in 1993 and has been practicing law in South Florida for over 20 years. Well versed in all steps of the personal injury process, Cartwright is an AV-rated attorney who has received the highest rating from Martindale Hubbell. Adriana Gonzalez obtained her law degree from Florida Coastal School of Law in Jacksonville, Florida, and has been an officer in the Palm Beach County Hispanic Bar Association since 2009. In 2012 and 2013, Super Lawyers named her one of Florida’s Rising Stars for her work in personal injury law.
For more information on what to do if you’ve been injured in an accident, call (800) 608-2965.
Gonzalez & Cartwright is located at 813 Lucerne Ave., Lake Worth FL 33460. Visit http://www.gonzalezcartwright.com
Jacob M Del Hagen, Big Voodoo Interactive, http://www.bigvoodoo.com, +1 (413) 650-0593, [email protected]
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