Archives for June 2015

June is National Safety Month and coincides with the end of school and the beginning of summer. This makes summer swimming safety particularly important, as kids find welcome relief in pools, ponds, and puddles across the greater Atlanta area. Sadly, they may find themselves in distress and parents must often cope with grief due to a lapse in basic water safety precautions.

At Brownstein & Nguyen, we offer these water safety tips in an effort to reduce the number of potential clients in need of legal services by one of Atlanta’s preeminent personal injury lawyers.

Swim in Water; Drink Water

Diane McKinsey, a pool lifeguard certified by the International Lifeguard Trainer Program, works at a water park. She has one piece of water safety advice for parents: please don’t drink alcohol.

Too often, she says, alcohol interferes with adults’ summer water safety awareness. Under the effects of alcohol, parents often lose sight of their children and tragedy can result. Says McKinsey, “If you and your kids are going to swim in water, then drink water — nothing stronger.”

Be Water Wise

The National Safety Council (NSC) points out drowning as the leading cause of death among children 1 to 4 years of age.  NSC recommends parents be extra vigilant around water, including paying attention to boating safety tips as well as general water safety tips.

• No child is drown-proof
• Lifeguards are not babysitters
• Undertows exist in all bodies of water—pool suction fittings and drains can trap a child underwater
• Even strong swimmers should wear life jackets—The NSC provides many additional boating safety tips at its safety-conscious website
• As a parent, you are your child’s best protector, so get trained for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
• If your child is out of your sight, first check bodies of water before looking elsewhere.

Teach Your Children Well

From three-year-olds to adults, all swimmers should learn basic summer water safety. The NSC recommends all swimmers learn:

• Not to swim alone
• To be prepared for an emergency
• To avoid diving into unknown bodies of water
• Never to push others into water or jump on others already in water

If through accident or another’s negligence, you find yourself needing a lawyer because of a water-related mishap, contact the personal injury lawyers at Brownstein & Nguyen.  Protect your rights and those who depend on you.

The National Safety Council seeks to help save lives and prevent injuries at work, at home, and on the road. Each June, the National Safety Council recognizes National Safety Month. This year, the non-profit organization has coordinated a campaign for the month of June centered around the question, “What do you live for?” Take a few moments to reflect and answer the question for yourself.

Image via nsc.org

What is it that keeps you going? Is it your family? A career? A hobby? Now, think about daily interactions with potential risk factors that could cause injury. These risk factors may come into place at home, in the workplace, in your vehicle, or in your community. There are often simple steps that can be taken to address risk factors and prevent injuries at home, in the workplace, and on the roads.

Let’s say that you chose your family to answer the question of what you live for. If you are the parent of a teenager or even a preteen, this is the perfect time to begin conversations about the risks involved with driving. The National Safety Council gathers research and data regarding risk factors and what causes accidental injury and death while behind the wheel. According to their data, “Half of all teens will be involved in a car crash before graduating from high school. Many of these crashes will be simple fender-benders, but too many others will claim precious young lives. Parental involvement can significantly reduce teens’ crash risk.”

Checklist via nsc.org

Simply knowing the facts, taking proactive steps toward accident prevention, and having open conversations with young drivers can help reduce and prevent injuries and deaths. In an effort to help guide conversations with your young driver, take a look at the transportation checklist provided by the National Safety Council.

At Brownstein & Nguyen, we want to help you and your loved ones be safe and avoid injuries. However, should you or a loved one become injured in metro Atlanta, Georgia or elsewhere, we are here to help.