Man Dies From Electrocution after Daring Rescue
A man has died after rescuing a child in an incident that happened at a southwest Houston hotel last month. Houston police investigators say that the incident happened at the Hilton hotel located at 9999 Westheimer. Raul Hernandez, 27, of Richmond, Texas, was swimming with his family at the hotel pool. When the pool lights came on in the evening, people began complaining of being shocked through the water. Everyone left the pool as fast as they could, but a child was unable to get out. Hernandez swam to the deep end of the pool and rescued the child, but was unable to get himself out of the water. Immediately after bystanders pulled the man out of the pool, he went into cardiac arrest. The bystanders performed CPR on Hernandez until emergency crews arrived. Hernandez was then transported to Memorial Hermann Memorial City Hospital. Hernandez died last Friday, September 6. Police are currently still investigating the incident. Though this man’s death is still under investigation by officials, it may very well have been a default in the swimming pool that ultimately caused this man’s death. Many swimming pools at hotels, apartments, private homes and municipalities feature electrical systems as a part of their maintenance features. This equipment includes things such as pool filtration systems and pumps, automated chlorine delivery systems, as well as underwater lighting for nighttime swimming. Although these systems help maintain a swimming pool and are used to enhance pool safety for swimmers, each of these things introduces the presence of electrical currents near water. Electricity and water together can be a safety hazard and increase the risk of electrocution accidents. Accidents involving electrocution can cause serious injuries, pain and suffering and even death. To protect themselves and their guests, it is important for people and companies that have a swimming pool on their property to inspect and maintain all electrical systems used in a swimming pool, hot tub or other similar equipment. Owners of pools can protect themselves and their guests by: * Having a maintenance schedule for all swimming pool electrical systems. * Inspecting all pool lights for defects or damage and replacing as needed. * Regularly inspecting all wires for wear and tear and making certain that all are waterproofed. * If there is any faulty wiring, lighting or other issue with a pool electrical system, do not allow anyone to swim in the pool until the damage is repaired and inspected. Needless to say, a swimming pool area should be either properly fenced or made so that children and others who cannot swim do not accidentally fall in. Display proper signs and make certain that all pool deck areas are safe and properly maintained to prevent slips and falls around the pool. If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident involving a swimming pool, including electrocution or drowning, give our offices a call. You may be entitled to seek compensation. There are any number of factors that can contribute to injury or death around swimming pools. Having a competent, experienced accident attorney to discuss your case with is the first step in getting compensation because of someone else’s negligence. Medical expenses, long time recovery and funeral costs can add up. We are here to help. Your initial consultation is confidential and without charge or obligation. Don’t suffer alone. We are here to help.