Swimming Pool Accidents

Swimming Pool Accident Attorney in Beverly Hills

Representing Pool Injury & Drowning Victims in Greater Los Angeles Since 1993

Swimming pools are everywhere in Beverly Hills and throughout Los Angeles County: private residences, luxury hotels, apartment complexes, water parks, and community recreation centers. When a pool owner, operator, or maintenance company fails to maintain a safe environment, the consequences can be catastrophic. Drowning, near drowning, anoxic brain damage (oxygen deprivation to the brain), slip and fall injuries on wet surfaces, and entrapment by defective pool drains or Jacuzzi pumps are among the most serious injuries our clients and their families have faced. Children face the greatest risk, and losing a child in a preventable pool accident is among the most devastating events a family can endure.

Under California premises liability law, pool owners and operators have a legal duty to keep their properties reasonably safe and to warn of known hazards. When that duty is breached and someone is hurt, the injured person or their family may have a valid personal injury or wrongful death claim. Where negligence or a violation of reasonable safety standards has led to injury or death, our firm is ready to help. Law Offices of Haleh Shekarchian has been representing swimming pool accident victims and their families throughout Beverly Hills and greater Southern California since 1993.

If you or someone you love has been injured at a pool, call us today at (855) 785-0297 for a free consultation.

Who May Be Liable in a Beverly Hills Pool Accident

Identifying every responsible party is one of the most important steps in a pool accident claim. Liability depends heavily on where the accident occurred and who was responsible for the pool’s safety at the time.

Residential Pool Claims
When an accident happens at a private home, the homeowner or renter is typically the primary target under a premises liability theory. Homeowner’s insurance is usually the source of recovery in these cases.

Hotel & Commercial Pool Claims
Accidents at hotel, apartment, or commercial pools can implicate the property owner, the management company, and any third-party maintenance contractor responsible for upkeep. Each may bear a share of responsibility depending on their role.

Public Pool Claims
Injuries at municipal pools, school pools, or public park facilities involve government entities. Claims against a public agency require a government tort claim filed within six months of the injury under California’s Government Claims Act before a lawsuit can proceed.

Equipment Manufacturer Claims
Defective drain covers, faulty pumps, malfunctioning gates, and unsafe ladders can expose manufacturers to separate product liability claims. The federal Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act requires anti-entrapment drain covers on public pools and spas, and violations of that law can strengthen a case alongside state premises liability claims.

Multiple parties can be liable in a single accident. Our team investigates each case thoroughly to identify every defendant and every available source of compensation.

How We Handle Swimming Pool Accident Claims

We approach each pool accident case with a full investigation before any demand is made. We examine the physical conditions at the scene, gather maintenance and inspection records, identify witnesses, and consult with experts when the evidence calls for it. Pool conditions, including fencing, drain covers, safety signage, and water clarity, can change quickly after an accident. We move promptly to preserve the evidence that matters.

Once the factual record is built, we prepare a complete evidentiary case for negotiation with insurance carriers. Insurance companies representing property owners and commercial operators are experienced at minimizing payouts. Our firm is well-regarded by defense attorneys, judges, and insurance companies throughout Los Angeles and neighboring counties because we prepare every case as though it will be tried. Attorney Haleh Shekarchian is an experienced litigator who can take a swimming pool accident case to court when a fair settlement can’t be reached. For more on personal injury law, visit our personal injury blog.

Throughout the process, our approach is client-centered. We can meet you at your home or hospital when visiting our office isn’t possible. Our team serves clients in English, Spanish, and Farsi, and we handle all swimming pool accident cases on a contingency fee basis. You owe us nothing unless we recover compensation for you.

Why Beverly Hills Clients Choose Law Offices of Haleh Shekarchian

Attorney Haleh Shekarchian has been practicing personal injury and wrongful death law since 1993. That depth of experience means she understands how to build a case against well-funded insurance carriers and how to present it persuasively in court when necessary. Her recognition by the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum reflects results achieved for real clients in real cases across Southern California.

What consistently draws clients to our firm is the combination of serious litigation capability and genuine personal attention. We don’t treat swimming pool accident victims as file numbers. We take the time to understand what happened, explain the legal process clearly, and stay accessible throughout the representation. For families navigating a wrongful death claim after losing a child or loved one in a pool accident, that accessibility matters as much as legal skill.

Over 30 years of personal injury litigation experience in Southern California
Million Dollar Advocates Forum & Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum member
Contingency fee basis: no fees unless we recover for you
Home and hospital consultations available
Multilingual services in English, Spanish, and Farsi
Respected by defense attorneys, judges, and insurance companies throughout Los Angeles and neighboring counties

Free Consultation for Pool Accident Victims & Families in Beverly Hills

Evidence in pool accident cases can disappear fast. Surveillance footage gets overwritten, maintenance records get updated, and fencing or drain conditions can be repaired before anyone documents the original state. The sooner you contact a swimming pool accident lawyer, the more effectively your claim can be developed. California’s general personal injury statute of limitations gives most victims two years from the date of injury to file suit, but that window shrinks to six months for government claims. Acting early helps protect your rights regardless of which deadline applies.

Law Offices of Haleh Shekarchian offers a free consultation with no obligation. We handle swimming pool accident claims throughout Beverly Hills and greater Southern California on a contingency fee basis, so there are no attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you. We can come to you if needed. Call us today at (855) 785-0297 to get started.

California Law & Swimming Pool Accident Claims

Swimming pool accident claims in California are grounded primarily in premises liability law. Property owners and occupiers have a duty to maintain their premises in a reasonably safe condition and to warn visitors of known or reasonably knowable hazards. When they fail to meet that duty and someone is injured as a result, they can be held legally responsible.

The California Swimming Pool Safety Act

The California Swimming Pool Safety Act, codified at Health and Safety Code sections 115920 through 115929, is the foundational statute governing residential pool safety in the state. Pools constructed or remodeled on or after January 1, 2018 must comply with the SB 442 amendment, which requires at least two of seven mandated drowning-prevention safety features. These include perimeter fencing, pool covers, exit alarms, self-latching door devices, pool alarms, and related protective measures. A property owner’s failure to meet these statutory requirements is evidence of negligence and can strengthen a plaintiff’s premises liability claim.

The Attractive Nuisance Doctrine

California’s attractive nuisance doctrine can extend a pool owner’s duty of care to child trespassers. When a child enters a property without permission and is injured or killed by a pool that was inadequately secured, the property owner can still be held liable. The doctrine exists because children aren’t expected to recognize and avoid the same dangers adults can. Liability isn’t limited to invited guests.

Federal Pool Safety Law

The Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act is a federal law requiring anti-entrapment drain covers on public pools and spas. When entrapment injuries occur at a public or commercial pool that lacks compliant drain covers, violations of this federal standard can combine with state premises liability claims to support a claim against the pool operator and, where applicable, the equipment manufacturer.

Types of Compensation in a California Pool Accident Claim

Serious pool accidents produce serious financial and personal losses. California law allows injured victims and surviving family members to seek compensation across several categories of damages.

Economic Damages
These cover the financial costs of the injury: emergency care, surgery, hospitalization, physical therapy, long-term rehabilitation, and future medical expenses for catastrophic injuries. Lost income during recovery and lost future earning capacity when a permanent injury prevents a return to work are also included.

Non-Economic Damages
Pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life are all compensable in California pool accident cases. Unlike some states, California imposes no cap on non-economic damages in ordinary personal injury cases, which is significant in catastrophic injury claims involving brain damage or permanent disability.

Punitive Damages
In cases where a defendant’s conduct was particularly egregious or constituted gross negligence, a court may award punitive damages beyond the actual losses. These are intended to punish extreme misconduct and deter similar behavior in the future.

Wrongful Death Damages
When a pool accident is fatal, surviving family members may pursue a wrongful death claim. Available compensation includes funeral and burial expenses, loss of financial support the deceased would have provided, and loss of companionship and consortium.

California follows a pure comparative fault rule: if a plaintiff is found to bear some share of fault for the accident, their recovery is reduced by that percentage, but they aren’t barred from recovering entirely.

Deadlines & Next Steps After a Pool Accident

Under California Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1, the statute of limitations for personal injury claims is two years from the date of injury. Wrongful death claims arising from a fatal pool accident carry the same two-year limit measured from the date of death. These deadlines are firm: missing them typically bars recovery regardless of how strong the underlying claim may be.

Two significant exceptions apply. First, claims against public entities require a government tort claim filed with the responsible agency within six months of the injury before a lawsuit can proceed. Missing that notice deadline can permanently bar a claim against a city, county, school district, or other government body. Second, claims belonging to injured minors are tolled until the minor turns 18, after which the minor has two additional years to file.

Beyond the legal deadlines, the steps taken immediately after a pool accident can significantly affect the strength of a claim:

Seek medical attention immediately, even if injuries appear minor. Delayed symptom onset is common in near-drowning cases and traumatic head injuries, and a gap in treatment creates unnecessary questions about causation.
Document the scene with photographs and video before conditions change. Capture the pool area, fencing, gate hardware, drain covers, safety signage, and any wet or hazardous surfaces.
Preserve all incident reports, witness contact information, and any communications from the property owner or their insurer.
Don’t sign any documents from an insurance carrier before speaking with a swimming pool accident attorney in Beverly Hills. Early release forms and recorded statements can compromise your claim.

Pool owners and operators have a financial incentive to repair dangerous conditions quickly after an accident. Surveillance footage gets overwritten. Maintenance logs get updated. Fencing gets fixed. An attorney involved early in the process can send preservation letters and retain investigators to document conditions before that evidence is gone.

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"Her and her staff handled mine and my fathers personal injury case professionally. They were always making sure we were being well taken care of"
Her and her staff handled mine and my fathers personal injury case professionally. They were always making sure we were being well taken care of

- Elizabeth R.
"The team over at Haleh's firm was helpful, patient and honest. I had an injury in 2014, and throughout my almost 2 year ordeal, Haleh and her team were there to guide me in my journey back to health while protecting my interests."
The team over at Haleh's firm was helpful, patient and honest. I had an injury, and throughout my almost 2 year ordeal, Haleh and her team were there to guide me in my journey back to health while protecting my interests.

- Hector H.
"If anyone in So Cal is looking for a reputable law office go directly to The Law Offices of Haleh Shekarchian! Ms. Shekarchian and staff are the epitome of professionalism."
If anyone in So Cal is looking for a reputable law office go directly to The Law Offices of Haleh Shekarchian! Ms. Shekarchian and staff are the epitome of professionalism.

- Rob R.

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