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McGuire Law

Columbia Swimming Pool Accident Attorney

Swimming pool accidents in Columbia, South Carolina turn summer recreation into tragedy—drownings, near-drownings, traumatic brain injuries from diving accidents, and catastrophic spinal cord injuries occur at apartment complexes throughout Richland and Lexington Counties, backyard pools in Forest Acres and Irmo neighborhoods, hotels along I-26, and recreation facilities where property owners prioritize aesthetics and cost savings over legally mandated safety requirements.

Lost a Loved One or Suffered Pool Injuries? Your Family Deserves Justice - Call Now
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Available 24/7 - Immediate Response for Pool Accidents and Drownings

Attorney Matt McGuire

South Carolina's hot climate creates year-round pool season, yet negligent property owners throughout Columbia fail to maintain proper barriers, provide adequate supervision, install required safety equipment, or follow state and local regulations designed to prevent the drownings that kill more children than any cause except motor vehicle accidents. Whether your child suffered permanent brain damage from near-drowning at an apartment complex pool on Garners Ferry Road, your family member died in a preventable drowning at a Columbia hotel, or you were catastrophically injured in a diving accident at a private pool, property owner negligence caused losses that destroy families emotionally and financially.

Matt McGuire has represented swimming pool accident victims throughout Columbia for over three decades, holding accountable apartment complexes, hotels, homeowners, recreation facilities, and property management companies whose violations of safety codes and industry standards caused preventable tragedies. Call (888) 499-5738 now for 24/7/365 representation.

The Legal Expertise of McGuire Law

Pool accident cases demand attorneys who understand premises liability, safety code requirements, and the technical evidence needed to prove property owner negligence caused preventable tragedies.

Premises Liability Mastery

Over 30 years holding property owners accountable for pool accidents—understanding the duty of care owed to swimmers and how negligence creates legal liability.

Safety Code Expertise

Deep knowledge of South Carolina pool barrier requirements, Virginia Graeme Baker Act compliance, and local regulations that property owners violate causing accidents.

Expert Witness Network

Relationships with pool safety experts, aquatic facility consultants, and engineers who inspect sites and establish how property owner negligence caused injuries.

Evidence Preservation Focus

Immediate action to preserve surveillance footage, maintenance records, and physical evidence before property owners destroy documentation or repair dangerous conditions.

Catastrophic Injury Experience

Extensive experience with brain injuries from near-drownings, spinal cord injuries from diving accidents, and wrongful death claims requiring lifetime damage calculations.

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Types of Pool Accidents

Swimming pool accidents take many forms—from drownings and near-drownings to diving injuries and drain entrapment—each resulting from preventable property owner negligence.

Drowning and Near-Drowning

Fatal drownings and near-drowning accidents causing death or permanent brain damage from oxygen deprivation at apartment complexes, hotels, or private pools.

Inadequate Supervision

Pools where lifeguards were absent, distracted, inadequately trained, or outnumbered by swimmers beyond safe ratios allowing preventable accidents.

Barrier and Fencing Violations

Property owners failing to install required four-foot fencing with self-closing, self-latching gates preventing unsupervised child access to pool areas.

Diving Accidents

Spinal cord injuries, paralysis, or traumatic brain injuries in pools lacking adequate depth, proper warnings, or "No Diving" signage in shallow areas.

Drain Entrapment

Defective or missing drain covers creating suction that traps children underwater causing drowning or devastating evisceration injuries.

Chemical Exposure Injuries

Improperly maintained pool chemistry causing chemical burns, respiratory damage, or toxic exposures from negligent chemical handling.

Time-Critical Evidence

These cases require immediate investigation before witnesses disappear, surveillance footage is deleted, conditions are remedied, and property owners destroy documentation showing they knew about hazards.

McGuire Law's Core Values

When families face the unimaginable tragedy of losing a child to drowning or watching a loved one suffer permanent brain damage, they need attorneys who combine compassion with aggressive pursuit of justice.

Family-First Approach

Understanding that pool accidents devastate entire families—providing support and guidance while handling every legal detail so families can focus on healing.

Thorough Investigation

Comprehensive evidence gathering including site inspections, maintenance records, witness interviews, and expert analysis before property owners can hide negligence.

No Upfront Costs

Contingency fee representation means grieving families pay nothing unless we recover compensation—we advance all investigation and expert costs.

Accountability Mission

Holding negligent property owners accountable not only recovers compensation but forces safety improvements preventing future tragedies at dangerous pools.

Honest Assessment

Providing realistic evaluations of cases, potential challenges, and expected timelines so families can make informed decisions about pursuing claims.

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Immediate Post-Accident Steps

Taking proper steps immediately after pool accidents preserves your legal rights while protecting critical evidence property owners may try to destroy.

Emergency Medical Care

Call 911 immediately for drowning or near-drowning victims requiring emergency resuscitation and transport to Prisma Health Richland or Lexington Medical Center.

Hyperbaric Treatment

Hyperbaric oxygen treatment for near-drowning victims should begin within hours at specialized facilities—potentially preventing permanent brain damage.

Document Everything

Photograph pool area from multiple angles showing depth markers, signage, barriers, gates, drain covers, and conditions existing at time of accident.

Preserve Surveillance

Demand in writing that property owners preserve security footage before automatic deletion—typically 7-30 days after incidents.

Gather Witnesses

Collect contact information from other pool users, residents, hotel guests, or bystanders who saw the accident or can describe typical conditions.

Call Matt McGuire

Contact (888) 499-5738 within hours of accidents if possible—not days or weeks later after critical evidence disappears.

The McGuire Law Difference

Pool accident cases pit grieving families against property owners with insurance companies and legal teams working to minimize liability—Matt McGuire levels that fight with three decades of premises liability expertise.

Three Decades of Pool Accident Cases

Matt McGuire has represented swimming pool accident victims throughout Columbia for over 30 years, recovering millions in compensation from negligent property owners.

Pool Safety Expert Network

Relationships with aquatic facility consultants, pool safety engineers, and drowning prevention specialists who establish how code violations caused accidents.

Rapid Evidence Preservation

Immediate action to preserve surveillance footage, maintenance logs, and physical evidence before property owners repair conditions or destroy documentation.

Insurance Company Experience

Understanding of tactics insurers use to blame victims, minimize damages, and delay settlements—and how to counter each strategy effectively.

Lifetime Damage Calculations

Experience calculating full compensation for brain-injured near-drowning survivors including lifetime care costs, lost earnings, and quality of life impacts.

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Liability and Investigation

Establishing property owner negligence requires documenting code violations, safety failures, and prior knowledge of hazards that caused preventable pool accidents.

Establishing Liability

  • Premises liability claims against pool owners and operators
  • Code violation documentation under South Carolina pool regulations
  • Attractive nuisance doctrine protecting children
  • Prior incident history showing known hazards

Evidence Collection

  • Surveillance footage preservation demands
  • Maintenance and chemical testing records
  • Lifeguard schedules and training documentation
  • Expert site inspections and safety analysis

Warning About Insurance Tactics

When pool accidents occur, property owners' insurance adjusters immediately work to blame victims, minimize damages, and claim "accidents happen" despite clear negligence. Never give recorded statements without legal representation.

Damages Available

Pool accident victims and their families deserve full compensation for all losses caused by property owner negligence—from medical expenses to lifetime care needs.

Medical Expenses

Emergency care, hospitalizations, hyperbaric oxygen treatment, rehabilitation, and lifetime care for brain-damaged near-drowning survivors.

Wrongful Death Damages

South Carolina wrongful death claims including funeral expenses, lost earnings, loss of companionship, and beneficiary suffering from preventable drownings.

Lost Earning Capacity

Catastrophic injuries from diving accidents or near-drownings creating permanent disabilities that prevent future employment and career advancement.

Pain and Suffering

Physical pain, emotional trauma, psychological damage, and loss of life enjoyment from pool injuries affecting victims and families.

Permanent Disability

Spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, or other catastrophic harm from pool accidents requiring lifetime care and assistance.

Punitive Damages

Available when property owners' conduct showed reckless disregard for safety or willful code violations causing preventable tragedies.

South Carolina Pool Safety Requirements

South Carolina law and federal regulations impose specific safety requirements on pool owners—violations create powerful evidence of negligence.

Barrier Requirements

South Carolina pool code mandates four-foot minimum height fencing completely surrounding pools with no gaps or openings allowing unauthorized access.

Gate Requirements

Self-closing, self-latching gates required on all pool barriers, positioned to prevent child access when adults aren't present supervising.

Virginia Graeme Baker Act

Federal law requiring compliant drain covers preventing entrapment in all public and residential pools—violations create strict liability.

Depth Markers

Clear marking of shallow and deep ends required to prevent diving accidents in inadequate depths causing spinal injuries.

Lifeguard Requirements

Certain public and semi-public pools including apartment complexes, hotels, and recreation facilities must provide trained lifeguards.

DHEC Inspections

Public pool inspections by South Carolina DHEC ensure compliance with health and safety codes—violations create negligence evidence.

Discuss Code Violations

Frequently Asked Questions

Families facing pool accident tragedies have urgent questions about liability, compensation, and protecting their legal rights. Here are direct answers based on South Carolina law.

Who is liable for apartment pool drownings?

Apartment complexes owe tenants and guests a duty of reasonable care. Inadequate fencing, missing lifeguards, or broken gates can create premises liability for owners and property management companies.

Can I sue if my child wasn't supervised?

Property owners cannot escape liability by blaming parents. The attractive nuisance doctrine imposes heightened duties to protect children from dangerous conditions like pools—inadequate barriers violate this duty.

What if the pool had "Swim at Your Own Risk" signs?

Warning signs don't eliminate liability for negligence. Property owners must still maintain safe conditions, proper barriers, and compliant equipment regardless of posted warnings.

How long do I have to file a pool accident claim?

South Carolina generally provides three years for personal injury claims and wrongful death claims. However, critical evidence disappears quickly—contact an attorney immediately.

What damages can I recover for near-drowning?

Near-drowning survivors may recover medical expenses, lifetime care costs, lost earning capacity, pain and suffering, and permanent disability damages—often millions for brain-injured victims.

Should I accept the insurance company's offer?

Never accept early settlement offers without legal review. Insurance companies offer lowball amounts to grieving families before they understand the true value of lifetime damages.

What if surveillance footage was deleted?

Destruction of evidence after notice creates "spoliation" claims allowing juries to assume destroyed footage showed negligence. Immediate preservation demands are critical.

Can I afford a pool accident attorney?

McGuire Law handles pool accident cases on contingency—no upfront costs. We advance all investigation, expert, and litigation expenses, collecting fees only when we recover compensation.

Matt McGuire - Attorney

About South Carolina Attorney Matt McGuire

Matt McGuire South Carolina Attorney

With over 30 years of experience defending South Carolina, McGuire Law provides elite legal representation with national recognition. McGuire Law has grown from a small practice into one of the most trusted law firms in South Carolina. We understand that legal issues can be overwhelming, whether you're facing criminal charges, dealing with injuries from an accident, or navigating family law matters.

McGuire Law is committed to each client's unique situation, and we don't believe in boilerplate solutions. Every case requires careful analysis, strategic planning, and aggressive representation. Our firm combines over 30 years of experience with cutting-edge legal strategies to achieve the best possible outcomes for our clients.

McGuire Law serves all 46 South Carolina counties. We know these counties, their courts, their legal communities, and most importantly, the people who live here. This local knowledge, combined with our legal expertise, gives our clients a significant advantage.

Matt McGuire received his B.A. from the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill and his J.D. from the University of South Carolina.

Matt has served as a law clerk for a State Circuit Judge, an Assistant Attorney General for the State of South Carolina, and an Assistant Solicitor in the Fifth Circuit Solicitor's Office.

Matt is a proud husband, father of two, and a long-time resident of Richland County, South Carolina.

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Get Started Today

When swimming pool accidents occur in Columbia, property owners' insurance adjusters and attorneys immediately work to blame victims, minimize damages, and claim "accidents happen" despite clear negligence.

These cases require immediate investigation before witnesses disappear, surveillance footage is deleted, conditions are remedied, and property owners destroy documentation showing they knew about hazards. Matt McGuire holds negligent property owners accountable. Call McGuire Law now.

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Columbia Office

2001 Assembly Street, Suite 102-B
Columbia, SC 29201

(888) 499-5738

Contact McGuire Law Today

Matt McGuire has represented swimming pool accident victims throughout Columbia and South Carolina for over 30 years, recovering millions in compensation from negligent property owners and achieving justice for families devastated by preventable tragedies. Call (888) 499-5738 within hours of accidents if possible, not days or weeks later after critical evidence disappears.

"Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts." — Winston Churchill