Considered among many to be one of the most dangerous activities in the world, skydiving attracts thousands of participants every year in states across the nation. Even here in Forest Hills, where people know they run the risk of injury, the activity is still a popular one. That’s because, despite the dangers, jumpers assume that skydiving instructors are looking out for the jumper’s well being and are taking the necessary precautions to keep every person safe.
But one jumper says this wasn’t the case for him when he tried skydiving on August 12, 2012. According to a lawsuit he filed in court, the parachute he rented that fateful day was in such disrepair that it deployed early during his jump. After having been knocked unconscious by the parachute’s early deployment, he says he slammed into the ground face first, suffering traumatic and permanent brain injury. It was an accident the man says the skydiving company likely knew could happen.
In the man’s complaint he describes the state of the rented parachute as being “in such a severe state of disrepair that only intentional actions could have resulted in and caused its dangerous condition.” He also contends that the skydiving company had to have known that the parachute was unsafe and that the company was negligent to let him use the hazardous parachute.
Although this particular case is currently taking place in another state, it’s worth noting that this is an accident that could have happened here in New York as well. Just as the man in this case is seeking damages for his injuries and lost wages, so too would a New Yorker who has found themselves in a similar situation. And just as it would be with any case here, the hope is that the man receives compensation for what appears to have been an avoidable accident.
Source: Courthouse News, “Injured Skydiver Sues Over Frightening Fall,” Annie Youderian, Feb. 28, 2014