Watersports and water activities can be fun, but they can also lead to extremely tragic accidents. We’ve written previously about the dangers of airboats in the Everglades, many of which result from a lack of inspection and regulation. Sadly, other water activities also suffer from the same type of carelessness and failure to inspect. For instance, companies that offer parasailing only need to get inspected if they are carrying six or more people on the boat. This rule leaves the industry almost entirely unregulated, which may have been the cause of a recent accident in Myrtle Beach, Florida.
More on parasailing accidents
On June 19th, while parasailing with his family, Henry Owens was caught in the propellers of the boat pulling him. The accident happened as he was being lowered to the banana boat that would bring him to shore. Instead of landing on the banana boat, Owens was dropped into the water and was pulled into the drag of the propellers.
His wife described the gruesome scene as she and her son pulled him out of the water, saying his legs were mangled and one had almost entirely fallen off at the knee. Needlessly to say, they were emotionally scarred by the incident.
Emergency services took Owens to the hospital immediately, where he was placed in an induced coma for several days and had both legs amputated. Since waking up, Owens has spoken about the accident and living with his injury. He fully believes that the accident could have been avoided had the boat been placed in idle. He has stated that just that little change would have prevented his injury.
For now, he is focused on getting around on his own and learning to complete daily tasks independently. In the future he hopes to be able to play basketball with his family again.
Injuries and accidents such as the one Owens has experienced are life changing.
While it is unclear if he has hired an attorney, it is certain that the Coast Guard is investigating this accident. A representative from the Coast Guard has refused to comment on whether drugs or alcohol were involved in the accident. He has, however, confirmed an investigation is ongoing and that they are trying to get as much information as possible to prevent future accidents.
While the industry may be unregulated, that doesn’t mean the company that ran the excursion, Ocean Watersports, is immune from repercussions. Owens and his family may have a case of negligence against them and the decision whether to proceed with litigation will depend partly on the results of the Coast Guard investigation.
In the case of accidents such as this one, it is important to retain an experienced attorney that will retain the necessary experts and thoroughly investigate the cause and circumstances of the accident. Inspection and maintenance reports along with eyewitness testimony will be key evidence in this case. It is important to contact a personal injury attorney immediately so that this evidence from the scene of the accident can be safely preserved.
If you or someone you know been injured in a boating or parasailing accident, an experience lawyer at Aigen Injury Law is here to assist you. Please do not hesitate to submit an online FREE CASE REVIEW. At Aigen Injury Law, an experienced lawyer is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week working relentlessly on behalf of victims who suffer from all types of accidents. We offer a free consultation for your personal injury case and there is no fee unless we recover for you.