A 17-year-old high school boy attended a gathering at a friend’s house, where approximately 75 guests were present. During the event, he decided to dive head-first into the deep end of an underground pool.

Our client stepped onto the diving board, walked to the edge, and leaped into the pool with his hands over his head. Unfortunately, he felt the impact as his head struck the pool’s bottom, resulting in a loss of consciousness. Medical assistance was administered poolside, and he was transported by EMS to Nassau County Medical Center.

Upon examination, he was diagnosed with a C-5 burst fracture, a common injury associated with diving accidents, leading to quadriplegia. Legal action was taken against the homeowner, as well as the manufacturers and installers of the pool and diving board.

Though some witnesses claimed he dove into the shallow end, our experts argued that the pool’s dimensions, particularly its depth, rendered it unsafe for diving board use of any kind.