Man Killed in Georgia Skydiving Accident
Recently, a man died in South Georgia after his parachute failed to open during an annual skydiving event held at the Fitzgerald airport. The event he participated in was described as an annual tandem skydive event. Tandem skydiving refers to a type of skydiving where a student is connected by harness to the skydiving instructor, who guides the student through the jump, from the initial exit to the landing. Participants from across the state flocked to the event, which was advertised in several counties.
Apparently, the deceased skydiver was an experienced jumper. His parachute evidently malfunctioned and did not deploy from his reserve chute in time. Additional investigations will be conducted to identify what precisely occurred during this tragic incident.
Skydiving Comes With Serious Risks
Skydiving is an extreme sport that exposes participants to the risk of serious injury or death. If conducted appropriately by trained professionals, these risks can be mitigated, but they still exist. According to dropzone.com, which maintains a database of skydiving fatalities, there were 36 deaths in 2014 and 58 in 2013.
An analysis of these accidents shows that the majority of fatal or serious accidents occur due to human error.
Occasionally, equipment failure or improper packing of the parachute is also identified as the cause of the accident. Some skydiving accidents are related to the operation of the jump planes. Most negligence suits stemming from skydiving accidents are filed against the skydiving company, the individual instructor, the airplane pilot or the parachute rigger. Product liability actions can result from equipment or airplane failures.
Skydiving Waivers
Most individuals are required to sign a waiver before they skydive. Waivers will often indemnify and release the skydiving company from any and all liability for accidents. The court will review each waiver on an individual basis to determine its validity. To be enforceable, a waiver must be clear and specific as to the dangers and the risks being entered into and must clearly limit the operator's liability. Skydiving, as an inherently dangerous activity, also presents complex legal issues.
To be held liable for a skydiving accident where the waiver is upheld, the conduct of the instructor or skydiving company must generally rise to gross negligence. This involves blatant disregard to one's legal duties to another, which could include intentionally taking off a parachute during the fall.
There are several avenues to challenge a waiver and seek compensation from the negligent skydiving company, instructor or other party responsible. After your accident, contact an attorney who can examine the facts and circumstances of your case as well as take the necessary steps to protect your rights.
Put Our Over 39 Years of Experience to Work on Your Personal Injury Case!
If you injured in any sort of accident involving negligence, contact the Georgia Personal Injury Attorneys at Montlick and Associates, Attorneys at Law. Our firm assists injured accident victims across Georgia and in the Southeast. We bring over 39 years of experience to your accident case and maintain as our primary goal to provide you with the dedicated and knowledgeable representation you need to obtain the best possible outcome. The sooner you act after your accident, the greater your chances of obtaining a full recovery. As such, it is important that you seek the assistance of a licensed lawyer as soon as possible. Call Montlick & Associates, Attorneys at Law, 24 hours a day/7 days a week for your Free Consultation at 1-800-LAW-NEED (1-800-529-6333). You can also visit us online at www.montlick.com and use our Free Case Evaluation Form or 24-hour Live Online Chat.