Summer Accidents

Summertime means more fun in the sun – and more accidents and personal injury cases. National statistics show that as the weather improves, the number of potentially serious accidents arises dramatically. A number of reasons come to mind:

More Driving—More Accidents. AAA confirms that Americans put more miles on their cars during the summer. More mileage translates into more accidents. Also, summer trips take drivers to areas where they may be unfamiliar. Who hasn’t become distracted by unfamiliar surroundings and GPS alerts? If you find yourself on the road this summer, an extra measure of caution is in order to ensure that you don’t become a statistic.

Alcohol. As the weather heats up and people take to the great outdoors, statistics show that more alcohol gets consumed. More alcohol means more accidents—plain and simple. No one needs another reminder from a law firm about drinking and driving but what about drinking and hiking? Drinking and water skiing? Drinking and fishing? The list goes on and on. There are very few human endeavors which lack any risk, and alcohol always enhances risk. As a matter of law, the presence of alcohol in your system can also subject you to crippling “punitive” damages on top of whatever you’re legally liable to pay.

Swimming Accidents. As the weather gets nicer, of course, more and more people find themselves at the beach and in pools. The number of water-related injuries which occur during the summer months is truly staggering. While many beach injuries may be minor in nature, there is also a staggering number of paralysis and drowning cases associated with diving accidents and unwatched children.

Of course, not all summer injuries are grounds for a personal injury case. On the other hand, just because something seems like an unavoidable accident does not mean that the law will provide for no compensation. For example, our office was involved with a case involving a tragic drowning of a 5-year old in a hotel swimming pool. At first blush, the accident seemed like an unpreventable accident. An in depth investigation revealed, however, that the swimming pool had a defect involving the circulation pump and the bottom of the pool was improperly sloped. These dangerous and preventable defects were the ultimate cause of the tragedy.

Summertime means more fun—and more risk. So be careful out there.