As summer approaches, many of you are clearing off the patio furniture and soaking up all that a backyard swimming pool has to offer. However, with a pool on your property, there are responsibilities to uphold and safety issues to consider.

Have you heard of premises liability? Essentially, it means that you’re responsible for injuries that occur on your property. Unfortunately, even if someone trespasses and uses your pool without your permission, their safety is still your responsibility. Under the law, pools can be considered an “attractive nuisance” for kids who may be tempted to sneak onto the property only to injure themselves, or worse.

This summer is atypical. In this era of social distancing, you may be throwing fewer pool parties, or hosting your children’s friends less frequently. However, it’s important to have precautions in place because of the laws around attractive nuisances—and for the safety of your own family members, of course: I can only imagine that we’ll be spending more time in our own backyards as the days get hotter and our city slowly transitions back to where we were before. Accidents happen every year, and they can be fatal.

Protect your pool from trespassers.

Trespassing may seem unlikely given the current news climate, but there’s no telling how people will respond to this situation. In many ways, trespassing may seem more appealing than ever, after weeks and weeks of feeling trapped inside of our homes. Take the following precautions to prevent trespassers.

  • Maintain a fence around the general pool area.
  • Keep a solid lock.
  • Ensure that any doors leading to the premises are shut.

Keep your family members safe.

According to the World Health Organization, drowning is the third leading cause of unintentional injury death around the world. Every year, young children’s lives are tragically cut short because of it. That these deaths are preventable only adds to the tragedy.

We can install barriers to keep the kids in more shallow waters. Under normal circumstances, I would suggest enrolling your kids in lessons, so that they can learn basic swimming safety. However, as social distancing continues, we need to practice vigilant supervision. I suggest the following precautions.

  • Have a first-aid kit and automatic external defibrillator accessible.
  • Properly maintain all equipment.
  • Clean up slippery spots.
  • Keep diving boards in good condition.
  • Regularly monitor chemical levels.

Speak with an experienced Memphis personal injury lawyer.

As always, we are here for you. Whether you have questions about your responsibility as a property owner, or if you have a personal injury case, give us a call at (901) 327-2100.