LawCall: Swimming Pool Liability

Attorney Michael Timberlake discusses a homeowner's liability and responsibilities when you own a pool.

There he is.

Thank you, stephen.

Starting off, swimming pools, you enjoy a neighbor's swimming pool this weekend, had a good time >> michael timberlake: a shallow swimming pool.

I like it.

>> sharon doviet: perfect.

Very safe.

A lot of people are worried if you have a swimming pool and something happens.

What are your legal liabilities for swimming pools?

>> michael timberlake: you know, the legal liability that people have with a swimming pool is just like anything else on your property.

If you invite people over to socialize at your place, you have an obligation to warn them about hazards and dangers that you know about.

You don't necessarily have an obligation to supervise people on your property, but obviously if it's a swimming pool and it's a hazard, if you have children over there, it could be what we call an attractive nuisance, which could open you up to responsibility.

So if you're going to have a swimming pool, you need to make sure you follow all the rules and all the ordinances that are in place.

And the city of huntsville you have to have at least a four-foot fence around the swimming pool.

Gates should be self-closing and self-latching so you can't leave a gate open and have a child come in.

And then it benefits to have doors or entrances that are perspectived with alarms -- protected with alarms. if you're in the house, you know somebody is coming into the pool area or backyard.

There's other safety devices that can be had.

There's covers.

You know, even just cameras that, you know, motion detecting cameras that can be beneficial.

But if you're going to have a swimming pool, what you need to do is make sure you follow up on all the rules, the obligations and you practice good supervision tactics.

Just because somebody is over at your house and they have a child, don't presume that they are supervising that child.

You need to make sure that they are.

>> sharon doviet: good tip.

So much fun but it can be dangerous.

>> michael timberlake: you know, with anything that is fun, sometimes there's