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A Sioux City Councilman was injured in a boating accident on

By Steve Lombardi

I'm behind on boating accidents and water safety issues. Let me attempt to catch up. I've collected boating items in the news and will over the next few posts examine how many people get injured while boating or on or near the water's edge. In the first instance you have a driving maneuver that surprises the passengers, one in which they were not prepared for resulting in them being thrown overboard and struck by the boat. In the second there is a mechanical malfunction that does the same. In the third news story the experts discuss a propeller guard that could have saved a person who was run over by a boat from being tore up by the prop. The last item discusses Operation Dry Water, a national campaign to get drunken boat operators to stop driving while drunk.

Nebraska – Two people were killed in Lancaster County on Oak Lake. The mishap occurred on a Sunday morning around 8:20 a.m. Cousins, Eric Jarecki (32) and Jason Hafsaas (25) were driving a speed boat, turned sharply, were thrown from the boat and the boat ran over and killed them. Speed appears to be the main factor involved. Reckless driving and perhaps not using some sort of seatbelt harness might also have contributed.

Iowa – Nebraska – Two men were thrown from the boat they were riding in on the Missouri River. Bruce Wright (31) or South Sioux City, Nebraska was missing. This accident occurred at around 8 p.m. one mile north of Salix. Oscar Gomez (33) was injured and flown by helicopter to a local hospital. Gomez was charged with operating a boat while intoxicated. The news description is that Oscar Gomez and Bruce Wright were thrown from the boat as the driver Samuel Gomez (32) suddenly slowed down. Cause is likely a sudden deceleration, failing to give a proper warning to the passengers, perhaps failure to wear life vests, drinking and driving along with the possibility of reckless driving or fooling around. Just don't know because there is nothing further in the news report. The Iowa DNR by Kevin Baskins provided the report along with the Des Moines Register and the Sioux City Journal. Oscar Gomez is a South Sioux councilman. Injuries were cuts on the right leg likely from the propeller and a left hip injury.

Naples, Florida – In this trial being held in June 2009 the plaintiff's case hinges on how the jury views prevention as applied to propeller accidents maiming a person in the water. A woman was permanently disfigured when struck by the boat engine's propeller. A U.S. Coast Guard expert testified that all propeller accidents could be prevented if a propeller guard was used or incorporated into the design. The trial testimony with the plaintiff calling the defense expert on direct, but hostile examination is rather interesting for the admissions given by the defense expert on how industry uses testing to not set standards.

Wisconsin – The sheriff's in Wisconsin will be out looking for drunken boat operators. The federal or national initiative is called 'Operation Dry Water' and is a program to keep drunken boat operators off the waters. Simply someone on board, the operator has to have nothing to drink of an alcoholic nature. What you could do is make everyone pay $5 or $10 into a kitty and whoever is the designated driver gets to keep the money. The Minnesota DNR offers a couple of safety tips including wearing a safety vest. And Minnesota DNR offers a free boating guide. The boating guide is an electronic version of the printed materials you can pick up at any boat shop.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SKVsJKvn_w

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Steve Lombardi

Full post as published by Des Moines Personal Injury Lawyer on July 03, 2009 (boomark / email).