Scuba diving accidents are unfortunate but preventable. Learn from them and take preventive measures to reduce them. If you do get hurt, you can be compensated. Continue reading to learn how to prevent and recover from dive accidents. After many years of diving, you've probably heard about people who needed help following 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. Rapid changes in visibility could trap divers, or deprive them from air. Problems with regulators and malfunctioning rebreather units were also factors. Divers who are not physically fit or experienced also faced dangers due to changing currents and waves.
The first lesson a diver should learn when diving is not to hold their breath underwater. Breathing helps calm nerves, focus, and connects the diver with his or her body. By practicing your breathing skills frequently, you can prevent many common diving injuries. In addition, it's essential to learn how to share air and recover your primary regulator. This will increase your chances to survive a dive.
Improper use of equipment and poor skills are the main causes of diving accident. These problems typically involve improper use of the air and cylinder valves. If you experience these problems, it is best to either reconsider your dive or cancel it entirely.
Preventive actions
Scuba diving is a relatively safe sport, but it is still important to practice proper preparation and follow instructions. Small problems can be prevented from turning into major issues and causing an accident. In addition, proper equipment and training will help ensure that you will not end up with a decompression injury or experience a life-threatening emergency.
Before diving, divers must check the valve in their air tanks. A valve that is partially open can restrict air flow to the regulator, resulting in a diving accident. You should slowly open the valve to stop it from closing. This will prevent the valve from overpressurizing, which can lead to fatalities. It can also help prevent respiratory complications like anoxia or gas narcosis.
Also, it is important to think about the environment in which your dive will take place. Turbid water can pull diver's equipment or fins out of the water. In addition, strong underwater currents can separate a diver from the boat cover. This could leave them stranded in the water. If the visibility is poor, the boat crew may fail to notice them. Yellow flags are also a good idea for divers to use to draw attention to them. 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
When you have been injured in a dive accident, you may be entitled to compensation. You may be eligible for compensation depending on the nature of the accident and the severity of the injuries. You may also be eligible to receive compensation for lost wages if you were on a commercial diving ship. A qualified attorney should be consulted to find out more about the compensation that you could receive.
The captain of the boat might be liable if you were hurt in a diving boat accident. The captain may be responsible if you are injured due to alcohol consumption or negligence. If you are injured while diving, you may also be entitled to compensation if the boat was defective.