In September of 2021, a concern-stricken mom leveraged the reach of social media, namely Facebook, to warn other parents of the risks associated with hot tubs. What spurred the broadcast of this warning was the fact that her own son had nearly drowned in a hot tub after the young boy was held underwater by a spa filter.
At a family outing, the boy had been enjoying the spa under the supervision of various adults. At one point, the boy did not surface and the adults quickly took notice. Reportly, it took the efforts of three adults to retrieve the boy from the powerful suction of the hot tub inlet. This is even more concerning given the fac that the hot tub had been turned off during the rescue attempt.
When they managed to free the boy from the hot tub inlet, he was already unconscious. However, they administered CPR while emergency responders arrived. The boy was airlifted to a nearby hospital where he was treated for his injuries.
Just a couple of days later, the boy's mother was able to report that he was making a full recovery. She attributed the near-drowning to the quick response of the adults on the scene as well as the medical attention he received both while in transit and once he was at the hospital.
It's easy to see a hot tub could be deemed completely safe by most individuals. Indeed, these spas are relatively shallow, so there's no reason why any young child or adult could be at risk of drowning, especially if they already know how to swim.
However, a hidden danger lurks under the surface in many hot tubs. It is the same hazard that is at the bottom of most pools, too. The culprit is the intake or inlet of the filtration systems which are constantly running.
These systems take in water, treat it, and then release it back into the hot tub. Often, they produce a very strong suction force at the point of intake. This is the same force that can hold young children or even adults under the water if their body creates a vacuum with the inlet.
While many hot tubs and pools have grates or covers over these inlets, individuals can still become trapped. In the past, young children have become trapped underwater when their hair or small limbs were sucked into the intake.
Following such tragedies over past decades, hot tub and spa companies have made significant efforts to prevent these tragedies from occurring. Designs have been improved and failsafes have been implemented, such as a suction pump shut off if too much resistance is detected. Yet, hot tub drownings continue taking place. This poses the question of whether more needs to be done.
Victims of hot tub drownings have held manufacturers and property owners liable in the past. If you or a loved one were injured or drowned in a hot tub, you, too, have the right to seek justice.
Contacting a hot tub accident attorney is the first step in determining what legal recourse you're entitled to. Contact the team at Aquatic Attorneys today to learn more about your options after a hot tub injury or drowning.
