It is certainly possible for accidents near swimming pools to lead to traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). For instance, someone who is running and slips on a wet pool deck could hit their head on the concrete. Someone who accidentally dives into the shallow end of the pool could strike their head on the bottom.
But there’s a similar issue that can occur when someone has a near-drowning event. They can experience a variety of symptoms, which may be related to movement, speech or memory. The injury they’ve suffered is called an anoxic brain injury (ABI).
Why does this happen?
This happens because the brain doesn’t get the proper blood flow and the oxygen that it needs. It doesn’t only happen with drowning. It can also be a birth injury, or it can happen after someone suffers a heart attack.
Exactly how severe this injury will be—and how long-term the symptoms will become—depends on a variety of factors, including:
- How long the person loses oxygen
- How quickly they are given CPR
- If the person performing CPR is trained and administers it effectively
- If they had pre-existing symptoms
- Their age when the event takes place
- What part of the brain suffers damage
In this way, someone may not actually have any external evidence of a head injury, as they would with a TBI after a slip-and-fall accident. But they could still have a serious brain injury that leads to life-altering symptoms.
If this happens, they need to be aware of all the legal options at their disposal to seek financial compensation for medical bills and other costs.