Parasailing can be an exciting activity for couples, friends, and families to share together. While the parasailing experience could provide memories for a lifetime, some people have to live with tragic memories of their parasailing accident. It could be difficult to move forward from a horrible parasailing accident, but it is important to think about your options for compensation with a Miami parasailing accident and injury lawyer.
Rivkind Margulies & Rivkind, P.A., has seen the effects of a parasailing incident on a victim’s life and how it could affect every aspect of their world. We want the opportunity to give you competent legal representation to increase your chances of recovering damages after your parasailing injuries. Call us at (866) 386-1762 to determine a date when you could speak with a skilled member of our legal team at no cost.
Common Parasailing Accidents that Cause Injuries in Miami
Parasailing, also known as parakiting, is an activity where one or two people are pulled by a boat while they are harnessed to a canopy wing that functions as a parachute. The parachute is then extended by a towline to allow the riders to sail several feet above the water. As there are several elements to managing a parasailing experience, there are also issues that may arise that may cause an accident. Here is a list of frequent issues that may result in a parasailing accident.
Faulty Towline
As stated, a towline is a rope that is used to attach to the canopy to lift a parasailer into the air above the water. Before each parasailing activity, it is essential that those working at the parasailing company thoroughly inspect the rope for defects as towline failure is a common cause of parasailing accidents.
There is a range of issues that may cause a towline to fail:
- Consistently using bowline knots which reduce the strength of the rope significantly
- Exposure to saltwater, sun, and wind gusts
- General wear and tear
- Storing towline in an area that is wet or in direct sunlight
When a towline has been weakened, there is a chance that it could snap while it is in use. This is very hazardous as riders could land in a dangerous area of the sea or may drown if they cannot swim.
Dangerous Weather
One of the biggest dangers to a parasailer is poor weather. A parasailing crew should never operate when there is poor weather, such as winds stronger than 20 miles per hour, rain, or thunderstorms. The right gust of wind could cause stress on the towline that may then cause parasailers to go adrift.
Defective Harness
The harness is the most important part of ensuring the safety of a parasailer. When a person is given a defective harness, they could detach from the canopy and likely fall to their death. Companies that do not inspect their parasailing harnesses could be liable if it malfunctions and injures or kills a parasailer.
Inexperienced Parasailing Crew
When deciding to go parasailing, no person wants to hear that the crew is highly inexperienced; however, it will not likely be discussed with the customer. An inexperienced parasailing crew could commit a bunch of mistakes that may cause injury to a customer. For example, if a worker does not correctly attach the harness to the canopy, the customer could fall into the ocean if it detaches when they are in motion. Additionally, if a crew poorly maintains the winch needed to reel in parasailers, this is another serious problem that may cause an accident.
Whether your parasailing accident happened under these circumstances or for other reasons, make sure that you bring your case to a Miami parasailing accident and injury lawyer that will fight for you.
Victim Rights After a Miami Parasailing Accident
When a person is injured while parasailing, they may be worried that they will not be able to claim compensation for their injuries, this is a reasonable thought as most if not all parasailing companies will attempt to avoid liability for an accident by having customers sign a waiver form prior to performing the activity. The waiver form will typically state that the company is not responsible for any accidents and that the customer has assumed the risk that they could be injured while parasailing.
Fortunately, pre-injury waiver forms are not airtight legal documents that may be wielded to avoid all responsibility for an accident. A waiver form is typically only a defense if a parasailing company took all precautions that are required by law when running their operation. Consequently, if a company injured a person because they violated a law that parasailing could only be performed when winds are under 25 miles per hour, this may allow the victim to sue for damages.
A fair amount of parasailing injury cases will rely on whether the defendant committed negligence per se. This is a doctrine where a defendant is liable because they violated a law that was established to protect a certain class of people from a certain type of harm. For example, laws against using defective harnesses when parasailing is intended to target companies that offer services to customers, and breaking these laws would be negligence per se
Our Miami parasailing accident and injury lawyers could help you determine how to litigate for damages if you signed a waiver form.
See a Miami Parasailing Accident + Injury Lawyer About Your Case
If a parasailing accident led to traumatic injuries for you or your loved ones, consider taking the time to talk to our Miami parasailing accident and injury lawyers. Rivkind Margulies & Rivkind, P.A., works tirelessly in our efforts to get our clients the outcome they need in their claim for damages. For an expense-free consultation regarding your litigation options, call our firm at (866) 386-1762.
