But swimming pools are also the scene of thousands of injuries each year across the state. Some of these injuries are "slip and fall" accidents. Slip and fall injuries occur when someone slips, falls or trips due to hazardous or dangerous conditions on the property of another party.

Slip and fall accidents are especially dangerous for the elderly. Older adults are not as physically resilient as younger people, due to more fragile bones and lower muscle density due to the natural aging process. When an older adult slips and falls, the most common results are fractured bones, such as broken hips, compression fractures of the spine or broken limbs. Other complications can also result from the fall.

If you have been injured in a slip and fall accident around someone else's swimming pool or on another person's or business' property due to dangerous conditions, you may be able to gain some compensation for your injuries and associated costs.

The landowner, pool owner or property manager may be liable for your injuries. Contact a lawyer as soon as you can after your injuries occur, to ensure your claim is made before the statutes of limitations expire.

--- Common Hazards of Swimming Pools ---

Swimming pools are notorious for being places where many injuries occur. There are a multitude of risks inherent in swimming pool placement and design, not to mention because of the amount of water and hard surfaces present in and around swimming pools. Some of the most common hazards of swimming pools include:

• Concrete and stone surfaces that become slippery when wet. Pool decks can grow algae, making the surfaces even more slick and hazardous.

• Uneven surfaces of safety covers and other tripping hazards on the pool deck that may not remain flush on the pavement.

• Ground shifting over time around the pool, creating uneven decking or paving, cracking surfaces and creating tripping hazards.

• Construction hazards when pools are being built or renovated, leading to pooled water, uneven surfaces and tripping hazards on the hard surfaces.

• Improperly secured gates that permit children to gain unsupervised access to pool areas.

• Slick surfaces coated in baby oil or greasy suntan lotion, food, beverages and other materials that make surfaces even more slippery than just water alone.

• Wet tile floors in rooms adjacent to pool areas due to foot traffic to and from the pool, creating slipping danger that is exacerbated by hard surface exposure typical to these types of facilities.

• Defective equipment or pools, such as broken ladders from the water to the deck, uneven stairs, broken diving boards, or exposed cracks on slides.

• Slippery surfaced diving boards or diving boards with pooled water.

• Poorly constructed diving boards that perform improperly and cause severe spine or neck injury.

• Pool maintenance equipment left on the pool deck or other areas, creating tripping hazards.

• Improper use of water hoses to fill pools, leading to pool deck and lawn pooling and creating wet surfaces prime for slipping.

--- Swimming Pool Safety ---

In order to remain safe around your pool in the warm climate of Arizona, there are precautions that you should take to prevent slip and fall accidents. By observing these safety measures and guidelines, you and those who enjoy your pool with you will be safe from injuries that can change your life:

• Walk slowly - do not run - around pool areas

• Wear swimming shoes with traction or other traction shoes around the pool

• Never dive into shallow areas or from the side of the pool

• Ensure all children are wearing flotation devices

• Keep rescue flotation devices in good repair and visible to pool users

• Learn CPR for use in an emergency

• Ensure a lifeguard or responsible adult with swimming and rescue capability are always alert and "on duty" around the pool when swimmers are present

• Ensure the pool is fenced in to keep unsupervised children out, with a locked gate that adults must unlatch

• Do not swim immediately after eating

• Clear all equipment and tripping hazards off of the pool deck

--- Legal Help for Your Slip and Fall Accident Case ---

When you are injured in a slip and fall accident due to the negligence of someone else, you are entitled to compensation for your injuries. A personal injury law firm can help injured victims of swimming pool slip and fall accidents gain compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages each year. Swimming pool accidents are all too common in states where pools play a major role in enjoyment of summer weather.