6.12.2022

Differences Between Non-Fatal and Fatal Drowning Incidents

Written by: Virginia Beach Injury Law

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drowning is one of the most common causes of death in young children. Outside of congenital disabilities causing death in children aged one to four, drowning is the leading cause of death for young ones in this age range. Behind fatal motor vehicle incidents, drowning is the second leading cause of death for children aged one to 14. Since drowning is a significant safety and health concern for young children, we tend to feel as though they are the only ones affected. However, no one is immune from struggling in the water and succumbing to a drowning incident that can quickly result in death or serious injuries.

If you live in or near the Virginia Beach area, you know how prevalent water sports and recreation are. Virginia Beach is full of outdoor activities involving water that tourists flock to every summer, and residents enjoy year-round and full-time. As a result, the risk for drowning incidents in the area is relatively high. If you lost a loved one in a drowning accident in Virginia Beach, the Virginia Beach wrongful death attorney at Virginia Beach Injury Law can help you file a wrongful death claim for financial compensation.

Fatal and Non-Fatal Drowning

The CDC reports that anyone can drown and suffer significant injuries or death. Each year there are around 4,000 fatal drowning accidents in the United States, meaning that 11 people will die from a drowning incident each day. Also, on an annual basis, over 8,000 people will experience a non-fatal drowning incident which comes out to 22 of these events each day.

When a drowning incident happens, a person submerged in the liquid will suffer from some amount of respiratory distress. In some cases, drowning can lead to death. In other situations, drownings may not result in the loss of life. 

Fatal drownings are those incidents where a person dies. By contrast, non-fatal drowning incidents occur when a person is able to survive their drowning experience. Depending on what happened when the non-fatal drowning incident occurred, there can be varying outcomes. Some victims of non-fatal drowning incidents may walk away from their traumatic event without any injuries, while others will not be so lucky and suffer severe harm. Then there are those instances where permanent disabilities emerge after a non-fatal drowning accident.

To struggle in the water is a terrifying position to be in, and getting to a person who is having difficulty in the water as soon as possible is critical to the outcome of their health and wellbeing. It does not take long for an initial problem in the water to turn into a drowning incident that quickly becomes deadly. 

Speak to the Virginia Beach Drowning Accident Attorney Today

After a drowning accident in a pool, lake, bay, ocean, or other body of water in the Virginia Beach area, the Norfolk drowning accident attorney at Virginia Beach Injury Law can help. To schedule a free consultation, please call the Virginia Beach personal injury attorney at Virginia Beach Injury Law today at (757) 802-4662.

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