They are trying to show past negligence I imagine. Even though Dive Rite made good on replacing all the springs. I do not know if anyone ever died because of the OPV failure.Originally Posted by JamesK
Welcome to the Cave Diver's Forum.
They are trying to show past negligence I imagine. Even though Dive Rite made good on replacing all the springs. I do not know if anyone ever died because of the OPV failure.
In the midst of other claims about the OPV spring, the document claims the spring is not only used in the OPV valves, but also in the O2ptima Counterlung. There are numerous arguments about what DR might or might not have known about the spring in the document. It's best to snuggle up and read it all first hand because the spring, the recall, and implications of safety are strewn thoughout the document in several places. It doesn't deliver the goods of the spring right up front. The document is gentle swell and it builds the case.
No matter how the filing is written, I keep scrolling back, looking at the dive profile. I see that sharp ascent and think to myself, Wes must have wanted to bailout and had no choice but to go for the surface air and didn't get there.
Actually, this assumption will come back to spoil their case and any experienced CCR diver that understands what physically, electronically and mechanically happens under a hyperoxic event will quickly see why they have this wrong.
I will not describe the mechanism further and leave it for the lawyer to spend his time figuring it out or be embarased in court.
John
Looking at the proflie of the dive it looks like Wes started to ascend and then lost buoyancy and rapidly went to the bottom. Is it possible that his spring failed during that dive causing him to lose buoyancy?
jcook
Originally Posted by JamesK
Why all the talk in the link about the OPV spring? It seems
like they are trying to state that two separate issues at once caused the
problem. Am I missing something? I am sure I am so sorry for the stupid
questions.
They are trying to show past negligence I
imagine.
Probably not or it would have been mentioned. Just a thought.
Such a shame on many levels. I am learning a lot and hope the discussion continues.
"omg take that out of your signature." ~ pink arrows
From page 15 of the suit: " A 'hit' starts with an immediate loss of consciousness followed by . . . "
Um m m not from my nitrox classes. It CAN do that, but there may be other symptoms, too. Do y'all know something different?
Or is the loss of consciousness that prevalent?
Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds discuss events; Small minds discuss people. ~ Eleanor Roosevelt
"If a small thing has the power to make you angry, does that not indicate something about your size?" ~Sydney J. Harris
No, there are all kinds of prior symptoms, but some people are affected differently. Some individuals can ox-tox after a few minutes at 1.6 ppo2 or instantly at higher O2 concentrations. Others (like me) can do pure O2 deco at 30 ft with no tremors, but get pulmonary ox-tox afterwards. Wes may have been one of those that tox-ed really easily (I highly doubt it though) which is just my opinion from reading about all the dive profiles they did while at Wakulla and their chamber rides.
If someone in my family dies because a product malfunctions and the manufacturer had knowledge, or should have known, of the problems and continued to distribute the problem item and/or inspected the item prior to death, I can assure you I will sue the manufacturer. So everyone can say that his wife is after money or whatever, but I would do the same if I thought Dive Rite killed my spouse........ I don't know much about CCR but if they are inherently dangerous and it is an assumption of risk, then I can see where there would not be legal standing. Wes may have died of natural causes, I don't know enough info about the accident. Remember the pintos and chevrolets that burst into flames when involved in rear and side collisions. I am thankful that manufacturers are kept on their toes about the products they produce...
Perhaps . . .
But I am a thinking person and read Mel Clark's book to assuage my curiosity, and even I, a not-a-rebreather-diver, haven't even tried one, know about the sensors, the voting, and the fact that your brain is what keeps everything going. Also, I am a firm believer in redundancy and Wes Skiles, an exceptionally experience diver, was diving without bailout. That blows the "gas management" element of accident analysis out of the water.
Good thing I wouldn't be on the jury . . .
Last edited by Jax; 07-27-2012 at 02:49 PM. Reason: clarity
Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds discuss events; Small minds discuss people. ~ Eleanor Roosevelt
"If a small thing has the power to make you angry, does that not indicate something about your size?" ~Sydney J. Harris
I too am a thinking person as well. Don't really see the absolute necessity for redundancy in shallow water. IF there was a malfunction and it was an 02 hit or something like that redundancy may not have helped him any at all. The devil is in the details of this incident and hopefully it will ALL come out and if other lives are in danger then maybe some deaths can be prevented by this lawsuit..........Till then I will stick to my old antiquidated OC......
I haven't seen the word solo used here much yet. Is that not also a factor?
FWIW I am in favor of solo diving. Diving solo without bailout is something I would never consider though.
I support the wifes right to file the lawsuit. She is likely fully convinced that she is right. Honestly I hope she isn't. I truly hope Wes would have had no one to blame.
I am not a rebreather diver either, but I have been trying to learn all that I can because I am fascinated by them. From the little that I know it sure doesn't seem like Wes made a lot of effort to stack the cards in his favor.
It will be really interesting to see which way this goes.
"omg take that out of your signature." ~ pink arrows
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