For residents of Panama City, Florida, news about water-related accidents are part of life. Though no one wants to see vacationers or beach-goers injured, careless actions or sometimes unavoidable accidents do happen in the ocean. The family of one girl is holding two Florida businesses accountable for personal injuries their daughter sustained in July.
According to a lawsuit filed by the girl’s parents, the girl and another person sustained injuries during a parasailing accident. The girl, who was from another state, was vacationing in Florida. The injuries she sustained resulted in months of rehab.
The injuries occurred after the tether between the girls and the boat broke. According to reports, the tether broke when a storm caused strong winds in the area. The girl’s fell against a condominium, hit a group of power lines and ultimately crashed into several vehicles.
The suit alleges negligence on the part of the parasailing company as well as the resort where the girl was staying. According to the suit, the resort sold or advertised packages with the parasailing company without ensuring the company followed safety precautions or was properly qualified. The suit alleges that the parasailing company used unsafe equipment, ignored the dangerous weather and took the girls too close to shore.
The parasailing company has been involved in other lawsuits. The company’s attorney stated he hadn’t reviewed the claim yet and was working to communicate with the plaintiff’s attorney. The suit is asking for damages in an unspecified amount, though the request is above $15,000.
According to reports, this and other incidents have caused lawmakers to propose a bill to better regulate the parasailing industry. Similar bills have failed in the past. Anyone enjoying the adventure of the beach hopes that companies involved in those outings are following strict safety protocols. In the event company negligence leads to injuries, victims have a right to seek compensation.
Source: The News Herald, “Parasail crash victim files suit // DOCUMENT” Chris Olwell, Jan. 21, 2014
