What if you die?

[billdo 0]

I have began to wonder how many of us out there discuss with our families and significant others what our wishes are should we become critically injured / killed whilst skydiving. It seems like this would be appropriate.

Particularly keep in mind that your family may be faced with tremendous medical bills and there would be a lot of reason to consider a lawsuit against the DZ. Even though you signed the waiver, there are plenty of lawyers out there who will try to convince your family that it can be bipassed and is the only way to deal with the costs of medical bills.

Sure, skydiving is relatively safe, but IMO, I'm not going to assume that my family will know what to do in the event of my death when it appears the DZ could be at fault (consider an airplane crash where maintenance could have been an issue). Personally I want my family to know what I think of liability lawsuits and that I accept all the risks of skydiving and would never want to blame anyone else for mistakes or stupid decisions I made.

Talk to them.

Any thoughts?

[skygod7777 0]

well i know for a fact that my family would not sue or what ever. they all understand the risks we take, hell my mom and dad used to own a dz, and my dad jumps. so i'm not to worried for my dz.

but it is kinda bad karma to talk about burning in, so i'm going to quit, and go find some wood to knock on (oh there it is, knock, knock, knock)

later

[somethinelse 0]

It is a bummer to think about, but it really should be considered.

My 7-year-old shook me up a bit by asking me that very question just a couple of weeks ago. I had just picked her up after her weekend visit with her Dad and was talking to her about Spring and plans for things to do when the weather was warmer.

My nephew skydives, and I'm working thru AFF... I was talking to her about looking forward to a good possiblity of getting a group of us from my family and friends to jump on the same day.

My daughter had seen tandem jumps coming into land before, and has seen me safely and gently come into land tandem too. So when she said, "What if you get killed, Mom?" It really shook me coming from my little girl... made me stop and think hard about it.

Like I've said before, I am still in AFF. One thing is for certain, I'm really gonna take a lot of care in learning to pack well and carefully. Seems like most problems come from malfunctions due to packing problems or bad swoops/landings. jSo for me, I'm gonna train well to be skilled and not try to deliberately do risky manuevers.

Let's DO Have fun - And Try to Keep it safe.

[PhreeZone 15]

A full 1/4 of the deaths in the US last year where from unintentional low altitude manuvers or medical conditions. The low turns are able to be avoided and the medical means that as skydivers age they need to reexamine themself to see if they might have health issues.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[skybytch 259]

If my family were to sue a jumper, the DZ or anyone else should I die jumping... I'd come back to haunt them. I wouldn't be nice ghost either. But lawsuits aren't the only thing we need to talk to our families about.

Got kids? Make sure your will is up to date (you do have one, don't you?). Keep your life insurance paid up. Talk with whoever you would want to raise your kids about your wishes and hopes for their futures.

If you don't want "heroic measures" at the hospital should you be that seriously injured, be sure you have a "living will." If you'd like for any usable organs to be donated, fill out an organ donor card, carry it with you and let your family know your wishes. If you can afford it, set aside money for funeral expenses now.

For me, the most important thing to discuss with my family was letting them know just how important jumping is to me. Even my mother understands now that if I die jumping, I died while doing something I loved. I probably screwed up, it was probably my fault and I'd probably be really embarrassed about it if I were still alive... but I make the choice to jump with open eyes, fully aware of the risks I'm taking and loving every second of the rewards.

[CanuckInUSA 0]

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For me, the most important thing to discuss with my family was letting them know just how important jumping is to me. Even my mother understands now that if I die jumping, I died while doing something I loved. I probably screwed up, it was probably my fault and I'd probably be really embarrassed about it if I were still alive... but I make the choice to jump with open eyes, fully aware of the risks I'm taking and loving every second of the rewards.

I've pretty much already said this to family and friends and it's so true.

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[PhillyKev 0]

I put it in my will that no legal action is to be taken against anyone if I die skydiving no matter what the circumstances. Whenever I go away to jump I let my Mom know where I'm going, for how long, etc. and let her know when I get back.

[Dumpster 0]

I get asked that question- "What if both of your chutes fail completely?" from the whuffos.

So I tell them - "Then I die".

And I do it with a straight face.

Seems to blow thier mind, that I'm not in denial about the hazards of the sport. But I don't dwell on it.

We've addressed the subject at home- The folks/kids know what should be done, - and not done.

'nuff said.

Easy Does It

[eyeinthesky 0]

i know the risks i take, and i am grateful somone keeps the DZ open knowing theres always the possibility of disaster followed by lawsuits. i wouldnt sue them or want my family to do so either.


doug

hey, i was stupid before stupid was cool!

[ernokaikkonen 0]

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I get asked that question- "What if both of your chutes fail completely?" from the whuffos.

So I tell them - "Then I die".

That should be a part of every FJC. Someone always ask the question "what if the parachute doesn't open?". After that's answered("you have a reserve"), there's always someone who asks the next one : "What if the reserve doesn't open either?".

There should be only one answer to that, none of the "reserves are only packed by people with special training-yada yada", but the simple, no-nonsense:"Then you die". People need to know what they're getting into.

[fool 0]

I agree with that, and actually know a guy, who, when he teaches the first jump class, specifically the emergency procedures...if anyone asks, "what happens if we forget to pull the cutaway handle?" He actually responds with "You'll die." No BS, plain and simple.

S.E.X. party #1

"Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting "f*#k, what a ride".

[wmw999 2,129]

I used to teach; my standard answer to the "what if your reserve doesn't open" was "then it's not your day."

Of course, then I'd go into the number of people who had true reserve malfunctions, and they'd realize it was pretty much under their control. But the control is yours. Give it up, and you're leaving your life in then hands of a machine or worse.

Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[sunshine 2]

I've already discussed what i want done if i die. My biggest concern was finding someone that would take care of my kitty if i was gone. My Petey loves her and he promised me he would take care of her.

My family wouldn't sue the dz or anything.

___________________________________________
meow

I get a Mike hug! I get a Mike hug!

[CanuckInUSA 0]

How's your Petey doing?

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[sunshine 2]

I PMed ya.

___________________________________________
meow

I get a Mike hug! I get a Mike hug!

[Clownburner 0]

Reminds me of the old story about the kid in airborne ranger training... (probably apocryphal, but funny, none the less)

Trainee: "Airborne Sergeant, I have a question."
Airborne Sergeant: "Yes, Airborne?"
T: "If our main doesn't open, how long do we have to pull our reserve handle?"
AS: "Airborne, you've got the rest of your life to pull the reserve handle."

Funny; but a true answer. My AFF1 instructor reminded me: "You can hang on to the pilot chute the rest of your life, it won't do you any good."

7CP#1 | BTR#2 | Payaso en fuego Rodriguez
"I want hot chicks in my boobies!"- McBeth

[amy 0]

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If you don't want "heroic measures" at the hospital should you be that seriously injured, be sure you have a "living will."

In most states, a so-called living will is not legally binding. It can give your family and the medical staff some guidelines as to what you do and don't want, however.

In the absence of a legal document naming a specific person or persons to become your representative in the event of your becoming incapacitated, most states look to your next of kin for legal consent for medical procedures (or consent to _not_ perform medical procedures, as the case may be). That means your spouse, parents, or adult children will be making your decisions.

If you have an unmarried life partner and haven't made them your legal representative, they'll have no say in what happens to you if you're ever rendered unable to make your own decisions. It'll all be up to your "legal" family. I also find it interesting that even if you've filled out an organ donation card and signed it, in a lot of states your family can override that wish and refuse to have your organs donated.

Your best way of ensuring that your wishes will be made known is to draw up documents naming someone you trust to be your representative, and then tell them what you want.

Amy

[yardhippie 0]

I get asked that question- "What if both of your chutes fail completely?" from the whuffos.

So I tell them - "Then I die".

And I do it with a straight face.
reply]

yea... but I always tell em im gonna tie my shoes. Some even see the logic in that one... takes your mind off whats about to happen.

my wife knows... my skydiving friends know some...
but most of all I want a big ass drunken orgy... or something resembling it... remember me as I tried to live... GOOD TIMES!

Goddam dirty hippies piss me off! ~GFD
"What do I get for closing your rig?" ~ me
"Anything you want." ~ female skydiver
Mohoso Rodriguez #865

[murrays 0]

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I get asked that question- "What if both of your chutes fail completely?" from the whuffos.

I always tell whuffos and others who ask this that the proper procedure is to hold up your left hand.......because someone on the ground might need a watch!

--
Murray

"No tyranny is so irksome as petty tyranny: the officious demands of policemen, government clerks, and electromechanical gadgets." - Edward Abbey

[jerry81 10]

Can I take this discussion in a slightly different direction? While I'm sure that most of us realize that what we're doing can kill us, I'm not entirely comfortable with the "You can do everything right..." argument. Does anyone know of an accident where the general consensus was "Yes, this guy/girl did everything just right, but died anyway."? The way I see it, skydivers usually die after doing something wrong and I'd really like to hear some opinions on this.

---

[billvon 2,406]

>. Does anyone know of an accident where the general consensus
> was "Yes, this guy/girl did everything just right, but died anyway."?

Kat Folger's husband died when a line from his main entangled with a grommet in his rig. He did everything right. Same thing happened in Eloy to another jumper.

A student at Elsinore was killed when a dust devil got him. None of the witnesses saw the dust devil coming until after his canopy collapsed. Same thing happened in Vegas.

Shannon Embry apparently just had a hard opening that either killed her outright or knocked her out; nothing else seemed wrong.

Sandy Wambach was killed in Chicago when she collided with another jumper on a record attempt. Hard to say that she died due to an avoidable mistake on breakoff; she was one of the most experienced big way jumpers and organizers around.

At least two people have just plain died under canopy for no apparent reason; a heart attack was the likely cause of one.

[n2skdvn 0]

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yea... but I always tell em im gonna tie my shoes. Some even see the logic in that one... takes your mind off whats about to happen.

good point i think ill use that one.

if my calculations are correct SLINKY + ESCULATOR = EVERLASTING FUN
my site

[DYEVOUT 0]

If one is a relatively intelligent individual, they realize the inherent risks in jumping out of an aircraft. Assuming the same individual has received some degree of training, they have signed papers for 15 minutes explaining that what they are about to do may seriously maim, or kill them. Be insured, live your life, and if you die - do it while your having fun.

----------------=8^)----------------------
"I think that was the wrong tennis court."

[webracer 0]

Right on... Make sure your family knows you don't skydive as a deathwish. I never really had a solemn discussion with my family until a few months ago when I decided that I would try base jumping. I read an article (maybe on blinc) some time ago that discussed the responsibility to your family when you take a quest like base up. I had that discussion, and will reiterate prior to actually making my first base jump (looks like May-third week).
I included skydiving, and let my family know that I do it for skill development, fun, and social reasons.
It is not a deathwish, or trying to cheat death.

Troy

I am now free to exercise my downward mobility.

[Pammi 0]

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My 7-year-old shook me up a bit by asking me that very question just a couple of weeks ago. I had just picked her up after her weekend visit with her Dad and was talking to her about Spring and plans for things to do when the weather was warmer.

Out of curiousity, if I may ask, what did you say? (having young children myself, 7 and 11). They haven't outright asked me though.

My husband and family know what I want done. Since we both jump, we made it very clear and have wills (not just because of jumping tho)