On Wednesday, April 15th, a Canadian water sports enthusiast was killed on Hatteras Island, North Carolina (NC). According to authorities, a sudden, fierce wind is blamed for the death of the Canadian kiteboarder. Evidently, the man was flying about 40 feet above Pamlico Sound before falling into the water.
The death of 49-year-old Timothy Holman of Sarnia, Ontario was confirmed by Twiford’s Funeral Home in Manteo, North Carolina (NC). Holman was riding off the coast of Hatteras Island says Dare County sheriff’s officials. Authorities also mentioned he was face down in the water when rescuers arrived Saturday evening. A local watersports shop owner said the wind had spiked from about 15 mph to 35 mph.
Kite boarders stand on a board similar to a surfboard while holding a large kite and use the wind to pull themselves across the water. Due to the power that the kites can generate, riders can hit high speeds and propel themselves several feet in the air. As this is a land-based sport, there have been several concerns about the possibility of injury to the rider or to others. As a result several safety equipment items are used by many riders in this sport. Helmets are essential, especially for the more advanced moves, where a rider may find himself rotating and flipping. Padding, including shoulder and knee pads, can be worn to protect from hard falls.
In addition to this, many kite manufacturers have incorporated safety designs in their kites in order to slow down the kite in order to stop it dragging the rider after a fall and protecting any other people in the vicinity. These tend to include safety leashes connected to the rider which, when the rider lets go of the kite’s control system, will completely depower the kite and bring it gently back to the ground.
If you have been injured in an accident and need the help of a lawyer please contact our office. Our firm may be able to help you recover medical expenses and lost wages. Our injury law firm maintains a NE NC office in Elizabeth City, and our main law office is in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Four of our law firm’s injury lawyers are licensed to practice law in North Carolina, Virginia, and beyond. For over a decade we have been helping North Carolina residents, and those suffering injuries or wrongful death in NC.
Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton personal injury law firm is based in Virginia, with offices in northeast NC and Virginia Beach (VA), practicing primarily in the southeastern U.S. and handles only injury law, including car, truck, railroad, and medical negligence cases and more. The firm’s website is: hsinjurylaw.com, the firm edits three injury law blogs: Virginia Beach Injuryboard & Norfolk Injuryboard, as well as the Northeast North Carolina Injuryboard and also hosts a video library covering many FAQ’s on personal injury subjects. The lawyers are licensed in VA, NC, WV, DC, SC, and KY.
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