What Do I Do if My Child Was Injured at a Hotel Pool?

When seeking a vacation destination, most Texas parents opt for a hotel or resort with a swimming pool for their families. A 2024 survey conducted by VivoAquatics found that nearly 75% of respondents ranked pools and hot tubs as one of the top three most important amenities when selecting a vacation property.

However, these appealing amenities can be dangerous for children. That’s why our Texas child injury lawyers at The Button Law Firm are educating parents about the safety hazards at pools on vacation, how children can be seriously injured, and what hotels and resorts should be doing to keep young swimmers safe.  

What Are the Most Common Ways Children Get Hurt at Hotel and Resort Swimming Pools?

Based on many years of advocating for families and first-hand experience with these cases, our legal team has compiled a list of the most common injuries children can suffer at hotel and resort pools.

1. Chemical Burns: An estimated 4,535 people in the United States visit emergency rooms each year due to injuries caused by pool chemicals, according to a CDC report. Children and teens made up approximately 36% of these reported injuries. Our firm helped a family after children experienced severe burns caused by improper shock treatments to clean a resort pool and the resort’s negligent recordkeeping of chemical use.
2. Drownings: Toddlers are most at risk of drowning, according to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, and busy hotel pools can make it easy for a parent to lose sight of a child in the crowd. A report from the Consumer Product Safety Commission found that 27% of drowning incidents occurred at a pool in a public place such as a hotel or resort.
3. Electrocution Incidents: Sadly, electrocution wrongful death incidents can happen at hotel and resort pools when pumps or other electrical pool systems are not installed correctly or when underwater lighting is not properly sealed. 
4. Entrapment in Pool Drains: Poorly maintained drains at hotel pools in Texas can be dangerous—even catastrophic—for young children. A child can easily become entrapped and drown when long hair gets caught and pulled into the drain, or little hands or an arm or a leg can become lodged or sucked into the drain.
5. Fractures, Sprains, and Head Injuries from Diving Boards: More than 6,500 children are treated for diving-related injuries each year, according to Nationwide Children’s. Little ones who are novice divers can easily collide with the board, causing bone fractures, lacerations, sprains, or even head injuries. Doctors found an increased risk of injuries if a child performed a flip, handstand, or backward jump off a diving board.
6. Lacerations from Slippery or Poorly Maintained Pool Decks: When hotels and resorts do not maintain decks surrounding pools, their surfaces can be hazardous, especially when wet little feet move about them. Children can suffer deep lacerations if they slip and fall on these hard and, sometimes, rough surfaces, which can erode over time due to heavy traffic, water exposure, and sun damage.

For more information on how children can be seriously injured at hotel and resort pools, read this article.

What Should Hotels and Resorts Do to Keep Children Safe at Swimming Pools?

To keep guests of all ages safe at swimming pools, hotels and resorts in Texas should:

• Conduct frequent inspections and safety audits of drain covers, pool equipment and lighting, and chemical levels.
• Fence in the pool area with safety latches that are out of reach from little hands.
• Employ lifeguards at peak times to provide additional eyes on swimmers.
• Install clear depth markers on the pool walls and surrounding deck area.
• Light the pool and surrounding deck properly for easy viewing at night.
• Mark deeper water with a pool rope or lane line to prevent little ones from accidentally accessing that area of the pool.
• Provide easy access to safety equipment like a pole, rope, or life ring to help in cases of duress or drowning.
• Secure drain covers or use other anti-entrapment devices, such as a safety vacuum release system, to prevent drowning incidents and other serious injuries.

How Can The Button Law Firm Help My Child After a Hotel or Resort Pool Injury?

Our team of experienced and compassionate daycare injury lawyers at The Button Law Firm is dedicated to advocating for you and your family if your child suffered a serious injury because of negligent practices at a hotel or resort pool. We are ready to listen and fight for your family to get justice and help you move forward. Our lawyers at The Button Law Firm are recognized on the prestigious Texas Super Lawyers list, and we can help guide you after a traumatizing incident involving your child. We work on contingency, meaning we don’t charge you or collect any upfront fees to get started on your case. Get a free case evaluation by calling us at 214-699-4409, emailing us at [email protected], or filling out a contact form.