Many people know about the common pool dangers like drowning and slipping on wet surfaces, but what about electricity? People being harmed from electricity in pools is becoming a big concern.  Unprotected wires from pool lights, filtration systems, and similar set-ups can become extremely dangerous when they come in contact with your pool water.  Today.com highlighted this issue in one of their recent features.  According to their sources, there are many measures you can take to make your home pool a safer environment.  Some of their tips include:

• Using a device called "Shock Alert", which you put in the water before you swim. The product senses stray voltage in the water and will alert you by flashing green if the water is safe, or red if there's electricity in the water. 
• You can also get your pool inspected by an electrician before you open your pool up for the year. 
• Make sure all of your pool lighting is low voltage
• Use plastic pool ladders, not metal. 

As highlighted in earlier blog posts, it is critical to realize that a pool owner is responsible for whatever happens in and around their pool.  It is the owner's job to keep the environment safe and think ahead to prevent accidents.  A pool owner's homeowner's insurance policy should provide adequate coverage that will protect against pool-related liability lawsuits.

  
If you or a loved one are injured in another's pool due to unsafe conditions, you have a legal right to hold the pool owner liable.  If you or a loved one has been injured in a pool accident due to unsafe conditions and/or inadequate safety measures, it may be time to seek legal action.  Attorney Doug Stoehr is a central Pennsylvania area lawyer who is skilled in handling these claims. Please contact his Altoona, PA area firm for more information and to set up your free initial consultation 814-946-4100.

Thanks to Today.com for some of this valuable information:

http://www.today.com/health/rossen-reports-how-protect-your-family-stray-voltage-pool-t112919

Summertime is here, and opening your pool can add to the excitement! However, it is important to understand your liability as a homeowner when you have others over to enjoy your pool. According to ConsumerAffairs.com, about 350 children under the age of five drown every year while in pools.  It falls behind car crashes as the second leading cause of death among young children.  Almost another 3,000 additional children are taken to hospital ERs as a result of pool accidents.  

Things to consider when using your pool and having others over include the following facts and tips:

• Create barriers between the pool and surrounding area, including proper fences and gates, to make it more difficult for children to slip into the pool without adult knowledge
• Consider using pool alarms and a power safety cover when the pool's not being used
• If your pool leads straight from a door in the house, make sure the door has a secure lock
• Make sure you have safety equipment nearby, including a phone to call 911 in case of emergency

 
Know that a pool owner IS responsible for what happens in their pool.  It is the owner's job to keep the environment safe and think ahead to prevent accidents.  A pool owner's homeowner's insurance policy should provide adequate coverage that will protect against pool-related liability lawsuits.   

On the flip side, if you are injured in another's pool due to unsafe conditions, you have a legal right to hold the pool owner liable.  If you or a loved one has been injured in a pool accident due to unsafe conditions and/or inadequate safety measures, it may be time to seek legal action.  Attorney Doug Stoehr is a central Pennsylvania area lawyer who is skilled in handling these claims. Please contact his Altoona, PA area firm for more information and to set up your free initial consultation 814-946-4100.

To read the original Consumer Affairs article, please click here:
https://www.consumeraffairs.com/homeowners/pool_safety.html

Sometimes, people who are victims of a car crash often experience concussions or another form of traumatic brain injury (TBI).  Although the signs associated with this injury may not immediately be present, the symptoms may manifest themselves days or weeks later.  Many common symptoms related to TBIs include headaches, dizziness, disorientation, changes in sleep patterns, and gaps in or loss of portions of memory.  Other more immediate symptoms may include vomiting and/or loss of vision.

Post-TBI, many patients find that the road to recovery is long, hard, and takes a variety of different professionals to manage the healing process.  Major news source NBC took a hard look at instances of TBIs in America and what the recovery process looks like for those victims.  The article can be found by clicking this link. 

If you have recently been in a car crash, it is important to closely monitor your body's response and recovery after the accident.  If you suspect a TBI, immediately seek help from a qualified physician who can diagnose you and develop a comprehensive treatment plan.  If your car accident was due to the fault of another, it may also be time to seek legal action.  This is especially true if your injuries cause you to miss extended periods of work or not be able to continue your line of work at all.  Other major expenses resulting from an accident may include medical bills.  If you or a loved one has recently been in a car accident due to the fault of another, please contact Altoona, PA area personal injury attorney Doug Stoehr to set up an initial, free consultation.  His law office can be reached by calling his firm at 814-946-4100.

How much do you really know about whiplash? Read more below to educate yourself on this very common type of accident injury.

According to LiveScience.com, whiplash is an injury suffered by over 2 million people every year! Although it often occurs in rear-impact car crashes, it can happen through other accident situations, too. Whiplash injuries affect the neck, including the tissue, muscles, discs, and nerves that go into and out of the neck.  The jerking motion association with whiplash causes the neck to move outside of its typical range of motion. Sometimes, whiplash also occurs in combination with a concussion. 

The symptoms of whiplash often show up in the first 24 hours post-accident, and include dizziness, limited range of motion in the neck, pain in the neck, back, shoulders, and/or arms, and fatigue.  Sometimes, tingling and numbness in the arms can occur as well. Whiplash can sometimes persist over six months, in which case it becomes termed as "chronic".  

Whiplash and corresponding chronic pain, is common after a wide variety of accidents and injuries, such as car accidents.  It is very important to monitor your pain and consult with a knowledgeable physician if you suspect that you may have a case of chronic pain.  Attorney Doug Stoehr is a personal injury lawyer located in Altoona, PA and serving the central and western Pennsylvania area.  For more information on him and his firm, please call his office at 814-946-4100.

Thank you to LiveScience for their reference article, which can be found here:
http://www.livescience.com/54566-whiplash.html