Parasailing can be exhilarating. Participants freely soar at several hundred feet of altitude with unmatched views of scenic land- and seascapes. In the United States, 3–5 million people partake in it each year.
But parasailing is a complex operation, with many parasailers oblivious to what constitutes a safe ride. Parasailing combines a parachute-like canopy with a harness and a towline, which attaches to the boat. Equipment failures, inexperienced or negligent boat operators, inadequate safety briefings, overcrowded waterways, and adverse weather can turn a dream vacation activity into a nightmare.
The parasailing accident rate is less than 1% per outing, but when accidents do occur, injuries are frequently serious and sometimes fatal. Parasailers may crash into the ocean, the beach, a pier, seawall, or building at high speeds. Most parasailing deaths occur due to drowning when participants can’t free themselves from their harness while face-down following water crashes.
The National Transportation Safety Board notes that parasailing is a largely unregulated industry. Standards shift from vendor to vendor. Some parasailing companies place profits above safety and fail to properly maintain equipment; overload their equipment; provide inadequate training or instruction; operate in unsafe conditions; or hire unqualified employees.
Zipdo, a marketing research firm, reports that only 15% of parasailing operators follow all safety guidelines; only 35% perform equipment inspections before each outing.
In most cases, signing a liability waiver does not disqualify a parasailer from pursuing compensation for injuries suffered due to negligence. Those potentially liable for injuries include company owners, boat operators, equipment manufacturers, mechanics, parts suppliers, and cruise lines and resorts that contract with parasailing operators.
If you are harmed due to someone else’s negligence, contact our firm to protect your rights.
