Camp Negligence and Liability

Washington, D.C., Maryland & Virginia

Each year millions of American children head off to camps of all varieties: sport, band, summer, weight loss, choir, etc. These camps often provide fun and instruction for the children who attend them, but they are also the sites of numerous accidents, injuries, and even deaths.

Camp Dangers

While there a number of ways in which parents can determine a safe summer camp for their child to attend, there is no camp that is completely safe from accidents or negligence. The nature of many summer or sports-oriented camps means that the children will be participating in activities that can lead to injury Perhaps the most dangerous of these activities is swimming, with drowning accidents a major camp danger.

Swimming Dangers

There are two main types of swimming environments at camps: the pool and the lake/ocean. Each has its own unique dangers.

While pools provide cool relief from the summer sun, they also can be particularly dangerous for campers. Unlike when attending a pool with parents, multiple campers are often under the supervision of one counselor or lifeguard, forcing the counselor or lifeguard to be responsible for many children at the same time. While lifeguards are there to oversee the pool area, pool environments at camps are often crowded and chaotic, and can lead to accidents, drowning or near-drowning happening in plain sight, yet not noticed by anyone. Injuries can occur from:

• Lifeguard or supervisor negligence
• Improper lifeguard or supervisor training (CPR, etc.)
• Improper diving
• Faulty pool and pool deck surfaces
• Faulty pool equipment, especially dangerous pool drains
• Improper pool security

In all of these cases, it is the camp's responsibility to keep their campers safe and out of harm's way, regardless of the circumstances.

Lakes and oceans have some of the same dangers as pools in terms of drowning, but present unique ones as well. The waves and currents of natural bodies of water make swimming much more difficult and expose campers to natural elements such as wind, tides, vegetation, wildlife, and unknown water depths. Further, venturing into a lake or ocean means that the swimmer might be occupying the same environment as boats and boaters, exposing the swimmer to a number of other dangers, including:

• Drunk boaters
• Inexperienced boaters
• Personal watercraft

In the cases of both pools and natural bodies of water, accidents resulting in injuries such as brain damage or drowning are very possible.

The lawyers of Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata & Siegel, P.C. have successfully resolved a tragic near-drowning incident at camp. You can watch the client testimonial on the website or on YouTube, click on Sheree Whitby.

In Your Corner

If your child or a child you know has been involved in a water accident or drowning at a camp, and you believe the camp staff was negligent, please contact the law offices of Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata & Siegel, P.C. to schedule a drowning accident consultation. We will determine who was liable and how best to fight for and win the compensation you deserve.

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