Parasailing Accident Litigation

Our Attorneys Hold Negligent Parties Accountable for Parasailing Injuries

Seasoned legal representation offering justice for you and your family

Between three and five million outdoor enthusiasts engage in parasailing each year in the United States, according to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). And, the U.S. Coast Guard estimated that about 33 percent of all parasailing activity in 2013 took place in the Sunshine State. However, despite the potential hazards and the serious nature of parasailing accident injuries, this industry remains lax in regulations, resulting in preventable tragedies. The experienced attorneys at Osborne & Francis Law Firm PLLC understand the anger and frustration experienced by the victims of this inadequate oversight, and we fight aggressively to obtain maximum compensation for you and your loved ones, and to send a message to those responsible.

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Common parasailing accidents and causes

Parasailing is a dangerous water sport quite popular in Florida. It involves being towed in the air behind a speed boat while you are harnessed into a parasail wing, which is similar to a parachute. While parasailing, you are “flown” in the air, much like a kite. Though exhilarating and thrilling, the inherent dangers are plentiful when safety measures are not carefully observed. Common parasailing hazards include:

Faulty equipment
Inadequate weather-tracking equipment
Operator negligence/error
Inclement weather/high winds
Colliding with obstacles, such as power lines, antennas, bridges and buildings
Hard landing on the boat deck or shore
High-speed water landings
Becoming entangled in the harness in the water and drowning

Florida parasailing laws

Prior to 2014, parasailing was almost completely unregulated in the state of Florida. This finally changed with the passage of the White-Miskell Act, which took effect October 1, 2014. Though this new parasailing law takes steps in the right direction, it’s still lacking comprehensive safety regulations that would surely prevent many more accidents and injuries. Following are some of the key provisions of the White-Miskell Act:

Operators are required to keep a weather log, and they are prohibited to operate during certain weather conditions, such as high wind, rain, fog and lightning.
Appropriate weather gear is required for proper weather report monitoring at sea.
Operators are required to carry a minimum of $1 million in liability insurance.
All operators must be licensed by the Coast Guard.
Operator adherence to applicable Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations is required, such as FAA notification of parasailing flights, specific visibility markings on the parasails and a 400-foot altitude limitation.

Unfortunately, a leading cause of parasailing accidents is not addressed in this law. Minimum equipment safety standards and regular inspections would go a long way towards decreasing tragedies caused by faulty equipment.

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Dennis and the other Osborne & Francis staff were amazing! Our case was HUGE and required tender loving care. Everyone on our case did their part by putting all the puzzle pieces together. We were given step by step updates and put at ease when our nerves got the best of us. For every inquiry we made we received a timely response...You are appreciated!

Alfred

Quick and fair resolution to a unique case. On advice of my own attorney, I engaged Joseph Osborne of Osborne & Francis of Boca Raton, FL. Mr. Osborne had considerable experience in cases such as mine and the results showed that. Mr. Osborne and his staff were very helpful, kept me up to date, and listened to my input. The settlement was very fair as far as I am concerned.

J. Davis

“I couldn’t have asked for a better lawyer/ firm — everything was done professionally exactly how I wanted. Due to COVID my personal attorney Mr. Garcia was still able to make things work in a timely manner and he never made me feel like he wasn’t working. Overall I’m happy with how my case turned out and I would recommend him and this law firm to anyone. 100% satisfied.”

T. Andrews

“Attorneys Greg Francis and Ryan Fletcher at Osborne & Francis Law Firm represented me in my personal injury case.The defendant drew a line in the sand and was adamant on a settlement amount I was almost willing to accept. After the dust settled and the smoke cleared, we settled for 3 times that amount!!! When they say ‘Real Tough Lawyers,’ they mean it.”

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Contact our attorneys to discuss your parasailing accident injury

If you were harmed, or someone you care about has suffered injury or death as the result of a parasailing accident, please contact Osborne & Francis Law Firm PLLC Our injury lawyers are dedicated to helping you obtain justice and compensation. To schedule a free consultation and learn how we can assist you, contact us online or call (561) 293-2600 today. We take cases nationally from our offices in Orlando and Boca Raton.