Boating accident lawsuit

[rammer]

Not sure what other people's opinions are on this but I think it is pretty crazy that you can listen to your daughter screaming for hours and not have the guts to dive under the capsized boat to try and help her.

I don't have all the details of the situation, but I can't stand the USA mentality creeping north of the border where peoples gut reaction is to file lawsuits.


http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/...058/story.html

[JohninAB]

Something is definitely missing in this story. How can anyone sit there for hours and listen to a young girls scream and do nothing or very little. Swim under the boat and get the little girl out. Pretty straightforward if you ask me. Parents should be held as accountable as anyone else in this scenerio. Man, if my daughter was under that boat, I ama fraid I would have got ehr out or died trying.

Not suing for money is laughable. Wait till we hear what they ask for.

[nekred]

OMG I could not imagine the horror....

I can only imagine the fear of the little girl and the trauma of trying to get her out unsuccessfully.

I don't know all the details but a little girl trapped in an air pocket inside a capsized boat would be very hard to get to... and if you manged to get to her trying t dive back under the water with her would be damn near impossible.

Seems like a complete comedy of errors by all parties. Lack of knowledge, training and equipment and yet everyody trying to do the right thing.

Being prepared to look after ones ownself is so important. Having extra clothing and food in a boat on a big lake like that one is a necessity for JIC something does not go as planned.

In a rescue situation you need to always have a backup plan to rescue the rescuers

[Jamie Black R/T]

Originally Posted by nekred

trying t dive back under the water with her would be damn near impossible

couldnt be that hard if she drowned?

I dont know much about water rescues and i wont pretend i do....tough to believe something couldnt have been done though.

some experienced search and rescue folks on this board that will chime in i hope.

He is quoted as saying that the lawsuit isnt about money...but dollars to donuts they ask for an assload of dough.

Another sad story where blame is placed unjustly......a settlement wont bring their little girl back....no good deed goes unpunished i guess.

[Mekanik]

These type of stories make it harder for S&R groups to get volunteers. No one wants to be accountable or involved in this sort of thing if it doesn't go as planned or anticipated. I can assure you the rescuers are just as traumitized by this as the family and have been going over it in their heads every day since then.

No one's winning here and chucking stones on a message board'll do no good. good intentions, possibly smart people, poor execution and unforeseen circumstances.

Hope I'm never in their position.

[Ken07AOVette]

Originally Posted by Mekanik

These type of stories make it harder for S&R groups to get volunteers. No one wants to be accountable or involved in this sort of thing if it doesn't go as planned or anticipated.

Hope I'm never in their position.

Have to disagree 100% with you there. We CAN NOT be held responsible, we are under county insurance. There are always new groups of volunteers willing to give their time and risk their own health to help others, accountability rarely enters the mind of someone there willing and able to assist. Under the Good Samaritan act we can not be charged anyway. We are there to help people and protect property first, everything else, and I mean EVERY THING ELSE is second, other than our own safety of course. That is why we are trained, and take precautions.

Good Samaritan Law or Doctrine:
a legal principle that prevents a rescuer who has voluntarily helped a victim in distress from being successfully sued for 'wrongdoing.' Its purpose is to keep people from being so reluctant to help a stranger in need for fear of legal repercussions if they made some mistake in treatment.

[fish gunner]

I feel for the family and their loss but come on "boating with the murphys" four grown men could not get a little girl out of a zodiac. use a knife man its an infatable. flat land navy at its best. then to sue, who? every ones life was at risk. just plane dumb and a waste of tax payers money.

[Jamie Black R/T]

the story states the zodiac turned back due to damage and never made it to the family.

[nekred]

It also states the father tried to rescue his daughter unsuccessfully...more thsn once!

In hindsight would have been better to leave family stranded against far shore until a proper rescue could be made....as it states where they were than try to rescue them with inadeqaute equipment... they had a peace officer on board hwo could not eve swim... WTF was he along for more of a liability than an asset. Taking space in rescue boat that was already too small.

Sue them hard for being stupid... wake the authorities up to be better prepared to help...

[fish gunner]

Originally Posted by Jamie Black R/T

the story states the zodiac turned back due to damage and never made it to the family.

thank you I stand corrected. still grips ma s#@£. first question how did the family boat fair. who's at fault for a rescue in the first place... dad. who is ultimately responsible for the safety of the children...dad. who should have got a pair and got the little girl out …dad. how many flat land navy types spent the day on the lake and did not offer assistance to the first problem. f^¢£ anchor wait out the weather. just a giant ball of murphy from any way you look at it.

[fish gunner]

[QUOTE=Jamie Black R/T;1488550]the story states the zodiac turned back due to damage and never made it to the family.[
I hate my phone.

[DarkAisling]

Originally Posted by rammer

Not sure what other people's opinions are on this but I think it is pretty crazy that you can listen to your daughter screaming for hours and not have the guts to dive under the capsized boat to try and help her.

According to the article you posted, her father tried to save her:

While heading to shore, waves rocked and capsized the boat, turning all eight passengers into the waters. Everyone was accounted for, except for Janessa, who was underneath the boat, and attempts by her father to reach her were unsuccessful.