Although they are often fatal, scuba diving accidents can be avoided. There are ways to learn from them, prevent them from happening again, and be compensated for any injuries. Find out how to prevent accidents from happening and how you can recover. After years of diving, many people have heard of those who were unable to swim or were injured in an accident.
Lessons from scuba divers' mistakes
Recent DAN reports revealed that environmental factors played a major role in the number of scuba diving accident. These factors include rapid changes in visibility which could trap divers or take them out of air, malfunctioning regulators and problems with rebreather systems. Divers who are not physically fit or experienced also faced dangers due to changing currents and waves.
An important lesson that divers should learn is to not hold their breath underwater. As simple as it may seem, breathing helps to calm nerves, concentrate, and connects the diver to his or her body. It is possible to avoid common diving injuries by improving your breathing technique. It's also important to learn how you can share air and retrieve your primary regulator. This will increase your chances to survive a dive.
The most common causes of diving accidents are improper use of equipment and inadequate skills. These problems typically involve improper use of the air and cylinder valves. Divers should either reconsider diving or stop doing it altogether if these issues occur.
Prevention measures
Although scuba diving is relatively safe, it is important to follow the instructions and practice proper preparation. A few simple steps can avoid minor issues from becoming major ones and lead to an incident. A good training program and equipment will help you avoid serious injuries or life-threatening emergencies.
Divers need to check their air tanks before diving. The regulator can become obstructed if the valve is partially opened. This could lead to a diving accident. You should slowly open the valve to stop it from closing. This will prevent overpressure from causing death. This procedure can also prevent respiratory complications such gas narcosis and anoxia.
It is also important that you consider the environment in your dive area. If the water is turbid, it may pull a diver's fins or equipment. Strong underwater currents can also separate divers from the boat covers. They could end up stranded in water. They may not be noticed by the boat crew if the visibility is poor. Divers should also carry yellow flags to draw attention to their presence. They can also use a personal submersible EPIRB (emergency oxygen) or vhf radio to signal their presence to those on shore.
Compensation for accident victims
Compensation may be available if you have been in an accident that involved diving. You can get compensation depending on what type of accident occurred and how severe your injuries were. Compensation for lost wages may be available if the accident occurred while you were working on a commercial dive vessel. A qualified attorney should be consulted to find out more about the compensation that you could receive.
The captain of the dive boat may be responsible if you are injured. You can sue the captain for drinking or negligence if they were at fault. If you are injured while diving, you may also be entitled to compensation if the boat was defective.