Is Renting Water Sports Equipment in the USVI Dangerous?

 Posted on March 20, 2025 in Defective Products

Many tourists visit the U.S. Virgin Islands due to the wide variety of water sport activities and excursions to choose from. Snorkeling, stand-up paddle boarding, jet skiing, parasailing, and scuba diving are only a few of the possibilities available to thrill seekers. Participating in these water sports usually requires tourists to rent equipment, whether from a cruise ship or a company based on the Islands.

There are various regulations for rental equipment, with regular inspections and safety compliance required. However, accidents still happen, and some of them are due to unsafe or defective equipment. If you are injured by improperly maintained or unsafe equipment, you may be entitled to compensation. Working with a local U.S. Virgin Islands personal injury attorney rather than one back home gives you several benefits.

What Kinds of Unsafe Water Sports Equipment Could Cause Accidents?

With so many water activities available in the USVI, the list of potentially unsafe equipment is lengthy and includes:

• Jet skis

• Snorkeling equipment

• Scuba diving masks and tanks

• Parasailing harnesses, towlines, winches, and canopies

• Paddleboards

• Life jackets

Because so many different people use rental equipment, it can suffer a lot of wear and tear. The rental companies are supposed to examine the equipment when it is returned and before another person uses it. Whether due to inadequate training, carelessness, or other reasons, flaws are sometimes overlooked. That negligence can cause accidents and injuries.

Scuba-diving compressed air tanks in particular have many potential risks. Malfunctioning gauges can show that a tank is full when it is not, potentially leaving a diver without enough oxygen to reach the surface. Leaking pressure valves that let oxygen escape pose similar dangers.

Sometimes, parts are manufactured with flaws. Defective couplings on a harness could let parasailers fall from significant heights. Swimmers relying on defective life jackets to stay afloat risk drowning.

Injuries sustained from unsafe equipment vary depending on the type of equipment and defect. Drowning is a real risk, along with broken bones, head injuries, asphyxiation, burns, and spinal cord damage.

What Damages Could I Receive?

Your injuries may require hospital stays, surgeries, and rehabilitation. You may not be able to return to work immediately, meaning you could lose income. The emotional and mental impacts of your accident can also take a toll. Your damages could include compensation for quality-of-life losses and reimbursement for financial losses. Every case is different, but your attorney knows how to calculate your damages accurately and will work toward helping you collect the maximum amount.

Who Is Responsible for Unsafe Rental Equipment in the USVI?

If you are injured in a water activity accident, your lawyer will investigate the incident. We cannot determine who is liable to pay your damages until we know why your accident happened. Potentially at-fault parties include parts or equipment manufacturers, excursion companies or guides, equipment rental companies or their employees, and inspectors who failed to notice defects.

Why Do I Need a USVI Lawyer Instead of a Local-To-Me Attorney?

Although some parts of your claim could be handled from a distance, other aspects require "boots on the ground." An investigation into the cause of your accident takes a lot of legwork and speaking with several people on the islands. Because we have offices here, we are better equipped with our extensive network of local resources to handle the in-person aspects.

Speak to a Skilled St. John Defective Equipment Attorney Today

Whether your accident resulted from defective equipment or negligence, one of the dedicated St. Thomas personal injury lawyers from Colianni & Leonard LLC can handle your case competently. Call us at 340-719-1766 or send us a message now to schedule a free case review.