Although they are often fatal, scuba diving accidents can be avoided. You can learn lessons from them, take preventive measures to prevent them, and get compensated if you are involved in one. Read on to learn more about preventing dive accidents and recovering from them. You've likely heard the stories of divers who were injured in dive accidents after years of diving.
Lessons from scuba divers' mistakes
According to a DAN report, environmental factors are a major factor in diving accidents. 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 with limited experience and fitness are also at risk due to the changing currents.
A diver must learn that they should never hold their breath underwater. Breathing helps calm nerves, focus, and connects the diver with his or her body. Many common diving injuries can be avoided by learning to breathe properly and practicing it often. Additionally, you should learn how to rescue your primary regulator and share air. These will help you survive a dive.
Inadequate skills and improper equipment are the most common causes for diving accidents. These problems often involve improper use or cylinder valves. This is a sign that a diver should consider resuming diving or abandoning the dive.
Prevention measures
While scuba diving can be considered a safe sport, it is essential to do your preparation properly and follow all instructions. It is possible to avoid small problems becoming big problems that can lead to an accident. Training and the proper equipment will make sure you do not suffer from a decompression injury, or a life-threatening emergency.
Divers must make sure that the valve on their tanks is open before they dive. Partially open valves can cause restricted airflow to the regulator and lead to diving accidents. To prevent this, the diver should slowly open and close the valve until it stops. This will prevent overpressure from causing death. This procedure can also prevent respiratory complications such gas narcosis and anoxia.
You should also consider the environment where you are going to dive. A diver's equipment may be pulled by turbid water. Strong underwater currents could also cause a diver to be separated from their boat cover. They could end up stranded in water. They may not be noticed by the boat crew if the visibility is poor. Yellow flags are also a good idea for divers to use to draw attention to them. You can also use your personal submersible EPIRB or vhf to alert others to your presence.
Compensation for accident victims
In some cases, compensation may be available for injuries sustained in a dive accident. The amount of compensation that you can claim depends on the type of accident you were involved in and how severe the injuries were. 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 dive boat may be responsible if you are injured. If the captain was drinking alcohol or negligent, you may be able to sue him or her. If the boat is not in good condition, you could also be eligible for compensation if you are hurt while diving.