According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, swimming pools are the fifth leading cause of unintentional fatal injuries in the United States.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a Tulsa swimming pool accident in Oklahoma, you may be entitled to compensation from the pool’s owner for her negligence.
Oklahoma law requires that all outdoor pools, hot tubs, and spas be surrounded by a fence. If the pool is public, the enclosure must be six feet high and made of a woven material.
If the public pool is indoors, the room containing the pool must have a door and a lock. State regulations require that public pools have a sign warning of the risks of swimming with no lifeguard on duty. When the pool is closed, signs indicating closure must be put at all entrances to the pool.
The state regulations for private pools are less strict.
All private outdoor pools, whether in-ground or above ground, must be surrounded by a four foot fence, at minimum, that has no opening bigger than four inches. All gates must close by themselves and automatically latch upon closing.
Laws About Tulsa Swimming Pool Accidents
If the owner of a swimming pool has failed to follow Oklahoma state regulations regarding the fencing or warning signs that must be placed around the pool, and you or a loved one has been injured in the pool, the owner can be held liable.
An Oklahoma personal injury attorney can file a claim for the victim under a negligence per se theory. Negligence per se means that a law was violated and the injury resulting was one for which the law was enacted to protect.
The law itself will not provide for compensation of the victim’s injuries from a Tulsa swimming pool accident – only a criminal penalty, such as a fine or imprisonment.
Therefore, an Oklahoma personal injury lawyer will need to file claims on your behalf against the owner of the pool or seek a settlement for any financial claims.
Low-cost Consultation: Tulsa Personal Injury Attorney
If you or someone you know was injured in a Tulsa swimming pool accident, you may be entitled to financial compensation for your pain and suffering.
To learn more about your rights under Oklahoma’s laws regulating a public or private swimming pool, spa, or hot tub, contact a Tulsa personal injury attorney at Personal Injury Law Office of Tulsa today.
For a low-cost, no-obligation consultation, call (918) 924-5528 or send your question using the email form on this page.
