10/27/2010 // WPB, FL, USA // Personal Injury Lawyers News // Nicole Howley
Los Angeles, CA—A horrific ordeal for one scuba diver turned into a $1.68 million award after negligence was found on the part of the scuba dive companies who left him floating in the Pacific Ocean by himself for hours. A Superior court jury reached the verdict on Friday, October 22, 2010, as reported by the San Francisco Chronicle.
Daniel Carlock, who was 45 at the time, became separated from his dive buddy and was subsequently left floating in the ocean until he was spotted by Boy Scouts who were passing by on another boat.
According to court documents, the Sundiver was carrying 20 divers, when they went out for dives that day by oil rig Eureka. Carlock apparently had problems equalizing the pressure in his ears and surfaced 400 feet from the vessel.
Although Carlock was floating 400 feet way, the dive master for Ocean Adventures marked him present on the dive roster. The vessel then drove 7 miles away because of strong currents, where Carlock was marked present for a second dive.
After being saved, Carlock filed a lawsuit against Venice-based Ocean Adventures Dive Co. and Long Beach-based Sundivers Charters alleging negligence, infliction of emotional distress and fraud.
Carlock claims he suffered post-traumatic stress disorder and skin cancer as a result of exposure to the sun after floating in the ocean about 12 miles off Long Beach.
Legal News Reporter: Nicole Howley-Legal news for California personal injury lawyers.
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