Paragliding, an exhilarating aerial sport, draws in hundreds of thousands of people each year who long to imagine they are capable of flying, soaring over some of northern California’s most scenic sites. With its picturesque Sierra Nevada Mountains, miles upon miles of nature preserves, and lush redwood forests, northern California is the ideal location for paragliding.

Paragliding is an aerial sport that involves attaching a large parachute-like canopy to a harness, worn by the rider. The rider leaps from a plane or elevated height, and the winds catch in the sails of the paraglide, creating an effortless and hopefully smooth flight. The rider then silently and gracefully glides over the landscape. The paraglider’s canopy can be controlled by strings that help the rider maneuver and land.

Paragliding is an extreme sport and is not for the faint of heart, especially for individuals with vertigo or a fear of heights. Accidents can  happen, many of which occur mid-flight when the rider is unable to properly and fully address a problem that arises. The Edward A Smith Law Offices has worked with countless paraglide accident victims in seeking compensation for their injuries.

We understand that after an accident, you are in too much pain to debate the merits of various potential personal injury attorneys. We know how hard this choice can be when your livelihood and finances are in jeopardy. We invite you to read some of our previous clients’ reviews on Yelp, Avvo and Google to get a feel for our law firm’s philosophy and approach to client representation. If you would like to learn more about how we can help you with your paragliding accident claim, contact The Law Offices of Edward Smith at 916.921.6400 for a free consultation.

While paraglide operators may try to convince you that paragliding accidents are freak accidents that are only caused by happenstance and chance, the truth is that the vast majority of accidents are the product of negligence. Paragliding accidents are commonly caused by:

• Parachutes failing to deploy
• Rider error
• Collisions
• Rough landings
• Bad weather
• Lack of training, education or supervision
• Drop point is too low
• Too little wind
• Damaged or worn equipment

Often times, in order to paraglide, a rider must sign a waiver or indemnity agreement before being permitted to participate. This waiver states that the paraglider releases the operator of the excursion from all liability in the event of an accident. The waiver states that the paraglider assumes all inherent risks of paragliding and is therefore foreclosed from suing the operator for negligence.

However, waivers do not completely absolve operators of all responsibility. Operators are still required to provide safe and well-maintained equipment, monitor weather conditions, provide proper educational courses, and calculate safe drop heights. Attorney Edward Smith can assist you with reviewing the waiver to determine whether it is valid and whether the waiver permits your negligence claim.

Because paragliding accidents often involve falls from steep heights, injuries can be serious and sometimes fatal. Common paragliding injuries include:

• Broken bones and ribs
• Sprained ankles and wrists
• Neck injuries
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Asphyxiation
• Paralysis
• Spinal cord and nerve injuries
• Whiplash and harness bruising

I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento Auto Accident Attorney with the primary accident information site on the web, www.AutoAccident.com.

If you or a loved one has suffered an injury in a paragliding accident caused by the negligence of another, call me now at 916.921.6400.

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