Terri Skiles suing Diverite?

[stairman]

http://www.courthousenews.com/2012/07/24/48637.htm

[jcook]

Well lets be clear, Wes Skiles dove alpinist on a rebreather. That is diving WITHOUT bailout, which is just plain stupid. I really don't believe it was the manufacturers fault in any way. Let's have some personal responsibility in this world for once.

[TONY CHANEY]

Since we were posting about the recent death I was still woundering what happened to Wes thinking that we never really got an answer to what caused his death. I didn't see this one coming.

[jcook]

Is Terri Skiles a diver,or someone who wants to blame someone? Or something else.....

Did you even read the article? She is the wife of the late Wes Skiles.

[TONY CHANEY]

If I read the article right, was Diverite given the rebreather to inspect for malfunctioning equipment?

[rjack]

If I read the article right, was Diverite given the rebreather to inspect for malfunctioning equipment?

Gawd I hope not. Evidence should not be handled by potentially liable or reponsible parties. Although it sounds like that may have happened? NEDU generally does these inquiries of RBs.

[TONY CHANEY]

Gawd I hope not. Evidence should not be handled by potentially liable or reponsible parties. Although it sounds like that may have happened? NEDU generally does these inquiries of RBs.

Exactly what I was thinking. I could be wrong but that is the way I read it.

[mdax]

From the Courthouse news it looks like Mark Derrick conducted the review of the breather, not sure if that's accurate, but that's what they claim.
Maybe it's common in legal circles, however the assertion is that the handsets, o2 cells and the wing overpressure valves were called into question...seems like a wide net of possible issues to point at. Diving without bailout and a bov is way too risky in my opinion.
Even though personal responsibility is the name of the game, especially with technical diving and rebreathers it's hard not to sympathize with a widow who is obviously in a great degree of pain. This will only end up badly for everyone involved.

[TONY CHANEY]

From the Courthouse news it looks like Mark Derrick conducted the review of the breather, not sure if that's accurate, but that's what they claim.
Maybe it's common in legal circles, however the assertion is that the handsets, o2 cells and the wing overpressure valves were called into question...seems like a wide net of possible issues to point at. Diving without bailout and a bov is way too risky in my opinion.
Even though personal responsibility is the name of the game, especially with technical diving and rebreathers it's hard not to sympathize with a widow who is obviously in a great degree of pain. This will only end up badly for everyone involved.

I agree with you on personal responsibility but if there was an equipment failure, not saying that there was, but it needs to be addressed

[jkaterenchuk]

This will only end up badly for everyone involved.

It is far more reaching than that.....examine the results of the Barrett case up in PA. It may result in yet one more O2 cell supplier exiting the market because of the potential liability and expense of having to defend themselves in court.

The future could look poor with O2 cell prices going up and resale values of rebreathers going down. There might even come a day when rebreather become useless because one critical part is not available.