If you are on vacation or looking for a fun activity in Miami, you may have thought scuba or snorkeling would be a fun activity. Unfortunately for hundreds of people each year, these activities can become dangerous or even deadly. If you were injured snorkeling or scuba diving in or around Miami, the attorneys at Rivkind Margulies & Rivkind, P.A.
Our Miami scuba diving and snorkeling accident and injury attorneys represent individuals and families injured in accidents involving scuba or snorkeling. Whether you were injured on an excursion from a cruise ship, hurt on a scuba tour, injured in a boat accident on the way to scuba, or injured because of faulty rental equipment, our attorneys may be able to help you seek compensation for your injuries. Call our law offices today to schedule a free legal consultation and learn more about filing your claim today. Our number is (866) 386-1762.
Types of Accidents and Injuries Involving Scuba or Snorkeling
Snorkeling and scuba diving carry inherent risks. The risk of drowning comes with any water activities, but there are other risks associated with swimming in the ocean and with these activities, in particular. It is not uncommon for people to get swept up in strong tides or rip currents pulling them out to sea or making it hard to get back to shore. It is also common for people to be injured on obstacles or wildlife in the water, from bumping their head on the bottom of a boat to getting cut on sharp shells or rocks. In many injury cases, the company running the scuba or snorkeling tour can be held liable for the injuries you faced. The following are some of the accidents our attorneys can help with:
Injuries on Scuba or Snorkeling Tours
If you went on a scuba or snorkeling trip with a tour company, they may be responsible for your safety. Any unnecessary risks they put you through could be justification to sue them if you face serious injuries. The injuries you can claim damages for often involve mistakes or negligence on the part of the tour company, such as providing you with broken or defective equipment, failing to check if you are trained with scuba gear, transportation injuries, and other instances of negligence.
Cruise Ship Excursions
Many cruise ship excursions involve snorkeling or scuba diving. Cruise ships often outsource these tours to third-party companies, but some may operate these excursions themselves. In either case, injuries or accidents that occur on these excursions may justify a lawsuit, and our attorneys can help file these cases. Whether you were injured in Miami or abroad on a cruise excursion, our attorneys may be able to take the case.
Defective Rental Gear
When you rent scuba or snorkeling gear, the company that rents it to you should make sure it is in working order. While leaky goggles or a tight wetsuit might be negligible issues, sharp or broken fins could cut you, a cracked snorkel could mean sucking in water, and a defective respirator – or empty scuba tank – could put you at risk of drowning. There is also the chance that a scuba rental service may rent you equipment without first checking that you are trained or certified, which could be downright negligent if you did not realize you were in over your head.
Transportation Injuries
Scuba and snorkeling are best done away from boat traffic, which often means heading out away from shore on a speedboat or another vessel. Boat pilots could cause serious accidents by colliding with other vessels or operating the boat under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Other accidents and disasters could also leave you seriously injured, such as fires on board the boat or harsh weather that should have been avoided.
Damages for Scuba and Snorkeling Accidents in Miami, Florida
If you or a member of your family was seriously injured in a snorkeling or scuba accident, you may be entitled to financial compensation for the harms they suffered. In many accidents, this means seeking compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering that the accident caused. In more serious accidents, this could mean seeking damages for the death of a loved one.
Medical expenses can be claimed in full to cover damages for emergency treatment at a hospital and follow-up care. This means that the emergency room stay should be covered, but so should any surgeries or rehabilitation you need. You can also get emergency medical transportation costs covered, which could be expensive if you were injured out at sea.
Damages for lost wages can cover any wages you missed because of the injuries and your recovery. This can include damages for missed work while you are in the hospital as well as any lost earning capacity if you suffered permanent injuries and disabilities.
Compensation for pain and suffering is not easily proved by financial records and medical bills, but you can testify to how the injury affected you and how severe the damages you faced were. Pain and suffering can include damages for physical pain and discomfort as well as mental anguish and emotional distress.
Damages for the loss of a loved one can include additional compensation. Talk to a lawyer about these damages.
Call Our Miami Scuba and Snorkeling Injury Attorneys for a Free Consultation
If you or a loved one was injured in a scuba accident or snorkeling accident in Miami, call Rivkind Margulies & Rivkind today. Our Miami and Florida dive boat scuba accident lawyers represent injury victims and their families in lawsuits to recover compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain & suffering, and other damages. For your free legal consultation, call us today at (866) 386-1762.
