Parasailing Incidents

The increasing number of parasailing accidents in the recent years has brought the recreational activity under fire. Despite involving extremely dangerous activities, there are surprisingly few regulations for this industry. Parasailing has a casualty rate of about one death per 90,000 rides, which is far lower than the one death per 9 million rides at amusement parks. Florida has the highest number of parasail operators, but has failed to implement any type of regulations. Only two states have “relatively comprehensive regulations,” while the United States Coast Guard and the Federal Aviation Administration oversee “limited aspects of the activity.” Lobbyists have been trying to convince lawmakers to enact laws and regulations to protect passengers, to no avail.

In 2012, while on vacation with her husband, a twenty-eight year old fell 150 feet to her death after her harness gave way. Investigators believe her death was the result of a faulty or decomposed harness. In a separate 2007 accident, two sisters were parasailing on a windy day near Pompano Beach. The parasailing company ignored the weather warnings and allowed the girls to fly. A gust of wind sent the sisters through several trees and into a rooftop before the towline snapped, killing one of the girls and leaving the other seriously injured. Authorities concluded that the parasailing accident was the result of reckless boating, equipment failure and poor weather conditions.

Many vacationers flock to South Florida beaches to enjoy parasailing adventures, without realizing the number of dangers involved. Parasailing should be an enjoyable experience, but without proper safety measures in place, parasailing accidents can result in life-threatening injuries, including broken bones, head injuries, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, back injuries and paralysis, and death from falls, trauma and drowning. Parasailing accidents can be caused by a variety of factors and circumstances, including:

  • Equipment (boat, towline, harness or sail) malfunction
  • Lack of safety procedures
  • Untrained staff
  • Company or operator is not licensed
  • Operator negligence
  • Parasail is improperly monitored
  • Staff ignored weather conditions/warnings
  • Boat operates too closely to other objects, including other boats, beaches and structures
  • Improper safety demonstrations to passengers

The Miami parasailing injury lawyers at Friedland | Carmona have been handling personal injury cases in South Florida for over twenty years. Jonathan R. Friedland has recovered hundreds of thousands of dollars for his clients. If you or your loved one has suffered injuries in a parasailing accident, contact the Fort Lauderdale parasailing injury lawyers today. While the parasailing industry remains highly unregulated, the lack of regulations does not alleviate liability from the parasailing operators. The Palm Beach personal injury lawyers will fight to recover compensation for your medial expenses, past and future lost wages and pain and suffering.

Many people do not contact a parasailing accident lawyer because they are not sure if they have a claim. The Miami parasailing accident lawyers at the Friedland | Carmona will meet with you for a free consultation to discuss your claim and future options. If you have been injured in a parasailing accident, don’t lose out on a potential recovery. Call 305-661-2008 today and let our family take care of your family.