Over the Labor Day holiday weekend a woman from Georgia vacationing in Clearwater Beach, Florida was severely injured in a parasailing accident. After crashing down into beach umbrellas and into a wooden post, she is still in critical condition.
The young woman was visiting Florida with her fiancee. They were on a tandem ride when suddenly the line broke and he was sent crashing into the water. Luckily, he only suffered minor cuts and bruises. However, the wind carried her onto the beach and slammed her into a fixed 4ft high volleyball pole at speeds up to 40 mph. While much is still unknown regarding the cause of the accident, investigators have uncovered that a rope attached to her harness was allowed to completely unravel.
Parasailing accidents in Florida is nothing new. In the past twenty years several people have either died or been severely injured in parasailing accidents. However, the St. Pete Times has reported that parasailing has long gone unregulated by the Florida legislature. The US Coast Guard also declines to intervene. Currently, parasailing companies adopt voluntary guidelines.
Accordingly, if you plan on parasailing, here are few questions you should ask: (1) How long have you been in business? (2) How long have your employees worked in parasailing? (3) Are your employees trained in a manner that ensures safety is a priority? (4) Have you adopted any safety guidelines? (5) How old is the equipment your using? (6) Have you had any accidents in the past?
If you have been injured in an accident, please contact our office today for an initial free case evaluation and to discuss your rights.
