Protect Both Your Guests and Yourself This Summer with the Advice of an Ottawa Personal Injury Lawyer
With the temperature rising the further into summer we get, more and more pools will be seeing use. And the only bigger drag on an otherwise-fun pool party than a preventable injury is having to get an Ottawa personal injury lawyer involved. For the safety of your guests and to protect your own interests, it is of paramount importance that you pull out all the stops to safeguard your pool and prevent accidents as best as you can. Of course, accidents can happen at any time-this is what makes them accidents. But when it is clear that an accident could have been prevented on your property, and you didn’t do what you could to prevent it, you could be liable to face a lawsuit.
Follow Enclosure Regulations
Ottawa has a pool enclosure by-law that applies to every privately-owned swimming pool in the city. The by-law requires that a fence or other enclosure no shorter than 1.5 metres (five feet) is erected around the pool, with a self-closing, self-latching gate that cannot be opened by small, unattended children. To keep your pool area safe, Ottawa personal injury lawyers suggest taking extra care to maintain the enclosure and gate and make sure that they are up to code and fully functional.
Prevent Slips, Trips, and Falls
The area around your pool is going to get wet-there is no doubt about that. Make sure that the deck is made of a material that offers good traction, and clean up any excessive spills as soon as possible. Keep your diving board and any ladders in good repair, and when you close your pool for the year, installing the right cover can help keep it safe through the off-season. And remember, even adults have accidents-remind your friends not to run or engage in horseplay around the pool area.
Don’t Drink and Swim
Pool parties populated by adults can also be populated by alcoholic beverages. While we know it takes more than one or two drinks for most adults to become drunk, make sure not to let your cousin Eric who’s just had six Long Island iced teas anywhere near the water (sorry, Eric). Even if a friend is injured in your pool as a direct result of their own actions, as the pool’s owner, you are responsible for the safety of your guests. For everyone’s benefit, don’t let your guests engage in risky behaviour around your pool.
Know Your Rights
If, alternatively, you have been injured due to negligence while attending a pool party at a friend’s house, then you may be able to receive compensation for your injury. Contact an Ottawa personal injury lawyer to discuss next steps and explore where you can go from here.