The tale of a toddler recently vacationing with his family in a downtown Salt Lake City hotel underscores the very real dangers that can be associated with swimming pools at lodging properties. In this instance, a 2-year-old boy named Dawson was staying at the hotel with his grandparents, Jayson and Cheryl.
At 6:30 one evening during their stay at the Little America Hotel, the family was preparing to leave the property for a while. Young Dawson was able to quickly scamper away from his grandparents and was at the hotel swimming pool before they even realized he was gone. Dawson’s grandparents described Dawson as a fearless child who evidently did not hesitate to jump into the water when he reached the hotel swimming pool.
“The little one just got away from them, is not scared of things, and just jumped into the water. It all happened very quickly,” said Jayson, the grandfather, explained.
At the time the toddler plunged into the hotel swimming pool, a couple of teenagers were in the water. The pair of teenagers pulled Dawson out of the water. They performed CPR on the boy and helped save his life. “They were just there, they were swimming, and they were at the right place at the right time," Dawson’s grateful grandfather explained.
The youngster evidently was unconscious for about 90 seconds as a result of the hotel swimming pool drowning accident. He was intubated for a period of time while hospitalized following the incident. However, he is on the road to recovery. At this time, it appears that he will not suffer any permanent impairments or disabilities.
Frequent Disabilities Following a Nonfatal Hotel Swimming Pool Accident
Dawson and his family are fortunate due to the fact that it appears he will not suffer any permanent disability as a result of the nonfatal drowning accident. With that said, there are certain types of disabilities that can follow a nonfatal hotel swimming pool accident. These include:
- Paralysis
- Traumatic brain injury
- Spinal cord injury
Toddlers Slipping Away from Adults is a Common Precursor to a Swimming Pool Drowning Accident
It is alarmingly commonplace for toddlers like Dawson to slip away from adults and end up in a swimming pool. Research suggests that, due to their lack of understanding of the dangers associated with water, children aged one to four are the most likely age group to experience drowning deaths. In addition, this age group is at higher risk of being injured while in or around a body of water due to their lack of swimming skills and knowledge needed for self-rescue.
Drowning was found to be the leading cause of unintentional injury-related deaths among children one to four years of age in the United States. Drowning accidents comprise nearly 40 percent of all unintentional injury-related deaths among children in this age group.
As was the case with Dawson’s grandparents at the hotel, many adults may not immediately realize a child has wandered off. It really can happen in the proverbial blink of an eye. A study conducted by Safe Kids Worldwide revealed that 90 percent of child drownings occur within 25 yards of a parent or other adult.
Protect Your Legal Rights
If you or a loved one have been injured in a hotel swimming pool accident, or if you have lost a family member in a tragic aquatic incident while on vacation or traveling, the legal team at The Doan Law Firm is here for you. We have an around-the-clock telephone line through which you can connect with an experienced lawyer. (800) 349-0000 is staffed by caring professionals 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, including all major holidays.
As a nationwide law firm, we can schedule an initial consultation at no cost, and with no obligation to you, with a compassionate attorney at any one of our 40 offices. A virtual case evaluation can also be arranged online.
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