You and your friends finally get up the courage to skydive, and it helps to know that the United States Parachute Association reports that car accidents cause more harm and fatalities than skydiving. Unfortunately, at the end of the day, skydiving is a dangerous sport because of the nature of the sport. There are a lot of risks that people take when they choose to skydive. While this isn’t to say no one should ever skydive, it is to say that understanding the risk and your options should you be injured are crucial.
Skydiving companies know that the sport is dangerous, which is why they ask participants to sign waivers that, in theory, protect them from liability should a participant be injured. A liability waiver is a contract between one individual and another person, business, or entity. However, even if you sign a waiver, that waiver may not always hold up in court. After sustaining an injury or injuries during a skydiving accident, it’s essential that you contact a lawyer as soon as possible. The skydiving company is going to do what they can to discourage you from pursuing legal action, but an attorney can make sure your rights are protected and that you get the justice you deserve.
The act of signing a skydiving waiver doesn’t eliminate the possibility of holding one or multiple parties liable for your injury. For a waiver of liability to be effective in Arizona, the participant has to have intentionally relinquished a known right. However, because of the way these waivers are often written, they don’t tend to hold up in claiming that participants knowingly and intentionally relinquished their rights away. Three questions that must be answered when looking through a waiver are:
Many skydiving companies do not provide enough clarity in their waivers, meaning that signing a waiver doesn’t guarantee you will not be able to recover compensation in the event of an accident.
Skydiving companies are going to require participants to sign waivers, but that is not always going to protect them or others who may be held liable for injuries that occur. Some instances where the waiver is not likely to legally hold up include:
In Arizona, the enforceability of a waiver will be contingent upon numerous factors. Aspects of these waivers are often complicated and can be challenging to comprehend, especially for participants with little to no experience with liability waivers or skydiving accident laws. Working with a specialist skydiving accident lawyer can help you feel confident that someone in the room knows the best way to handle your case and provide you with the support you need to get through the situation.
All sports contain a certain level of risk. However, it’s crucial and legally required that skydiving companies, instructors, pilots, and other people do what they can to keep participants safe. When they fail to take the necessary precautions to ensure that skydivers are reasonably safe, they can be held liable for the harm a skydiver suffers.
At Jensen Phelan Law Firm, we have represented injured accident victims for decades. We have the experience necessary to build a strong claim for our clients regardless of the complexity of their accident. Our specialist personal injury lawyers have what it takes to guide you through the most challenging personal injury claims—including skydiving accident claims.
Contact our office today if you want to start discussing the best way to recover maximum compensation for your claim. For a free assessment of your case and explanation of your rights, you can fill out our contact form or call (928) 778-2660.