SCUBA - An inherently dangerous activity

[Genesis]

You're kidding right? If you don't see "State Dept. of Scuba Regulation" all over this thing, I think you need to think about this a whole lot more.

Where do you see that in the equine industry?

That industry has exactly this kind of liability exclusion.

 

[connellc]

My wife and I own horses and she gives riding lessons to kids. Most if not all states have an equine law similar to this one below:


Except as provided by Section 87.004, any person, including an equine activity sponsor or an equine professional, is not liable for property damage or damages arising from the personal injury or death of a participant if the property damage, injury, or death results from the dangers or conditions that are an inherent risk of equine activity, including:

(1) the propensity of an equine animal to behave in ways that may result in personal injury or death to a person on or around it;

(2) the unpredictability of an equine animal's reaction to sound, a sudden movement, or an unfamiliar object, person, or other animal;

(3) certain land conditions and hazards, including surface and subsurface conditions;

(4) a collision with another animal or an object; or

(5) the potential of a participant to act in a negligent manner that may contribute to injury to the participant or another, including failing to maintain control over the equine animal or not acting within the participant's ability.

 

[CD_in_Chitown]

And how many tax dollars are budgeted for the "Texas Dept of Equine Regulation" each fiscal year?

That's not where the pinch is, it's in your personal insurance costs that would impact divers. DAN wouldn't be able to afford underwriting for the rates that they are charging today. Of course we're all careful divers who don't get bent, but the guy who does is in for it financially at that point.

 

[Genesis]

And how many tax dollars are budgeted for the "Texas Dept of Equine Regulation" each fiscal year?

That's not where the pinch is, it's in your personal insurance costs that would impact divers. DAN wouldn't be able to afford underwriting for the rates that they are charging today. Of course we're all careful divers who don't get bent, but the guy who does is in for it financially at that point.

Sure they would. DAN owns the insurance subsidiary that does their DCI insurance. That was what the entire hue and cry was about with Bennett - its quite profitable and he was alleged to have tried to get ownership of it for himself!

 

[plsdiver4377]

And how many tax dollars are budgeted for the "Texas Dept of Equine Regulation" each fiscal year?

That's not where the pinch is, it's in your personal insurance costs that would impact divers. DAN wouldn't be able to afford underwriting for the rates that they are charging today. Of course we're all careful divers who don't get bent, but the guy who does is in for it financially at that point.

I've been riding and training CT horses for about 15 years and have ended up in the ER on a few occasions. My insurance (health) has paid each and every time up to/within the limits of the policy. As far as I know equine related activities are not excluded from my life insurance either. I do know that my health insurance has severe limits as to what it will or will not cover in a scuba related accident (especially outside of the US). This in itself would not stop me, but the idea of having the type of liability limits similar to equine activities is on the face of it probably a good idea.

The whole idea that scuba is an 'extreme' sport is the crux of the problem with the insurance industry. How the equine industry is not lumped into the same category (in most cases) is beyond me considering I have personally seen far more equine injuries and (1) death around my area than scuba related injuries and deaths.

You don't have to have a 'C' card to ride horse either.

 

[scubasean]

The horse biz and the scuba biz are quite different....

The horse biz involves an animal that is unpredictable...which is why the biz is set up that way.

Where is the horse equivalent in scuba diving?

Wait, maybe scuba and horses *do* have similarities....

:banana:

 

[plsdiver4377]

Where is the horse equivalent in scuba diving?

Wait, maybe scuba and horses *do* have similarities....

:banana:

I would much rather deal with either of my horses than most people especially when doing something that most do everyday, like driving a car.

At least with a horse what he reacts to is fairly obvious once you look.

 

[Uncle Pug]

At least horses have horse sense which the proponents of lobbying to get Scuba Diving classified by the government as an inherently hazardous activity lack.

 

[Snowbear]

Where is the horse equivalent in scuba diving?

But the thread was a call for increased government involvement in a sport some deem is "inherently dangerous." This has been done (and not necessarily for the better) to the horse biz.

My observation has been that most horses have more sense than most people

 

[plsdiver4377]

My observation has been that most horses have more sense than most people

No argument from me on this point.