Bertie County, North Carolina (NC), sheriff’s deputy Kenny Cobb was enjoying a day out on his Jet Skis with his wife and son, relaxing a week after sifting through the debris left by tornados a week earlier, when tragedy struck.
What happened next on the remote Cashie River in North Carolina last weekend, left Cobb and his two-year-old son dead and his wife Katrina with serious head injuries. The Medical Examiner’s Office concluded the father and son drowned. Impact injuries contributed to their deaths, WITN.com reported.
Our thoughts are with relatives of Cobb, his wife and son after this terrible tragedy.
As experienced VA/North Carolina (NC) personal injury attorneys we have dealt with a number of accidents involving personal watercraft or other recreational vehicles such as dirt bikes and ATVs. In 2010 my colleague John C. reported on how about a third of personal injuries sustained on Jet Skis are often of a moderate, serious, severe, or critical nature. He noted how many people fail to realize the potential for injuries and fail to follow essential boating safety standards when on Jet Skis. The inherent dangers of PWCs were clearly set out in the National Transportation Safety Board personal watercraft safety study in 1998.
Our experienced Carolina personal injury attorneys who handle Jet Ski and boating accidents recommend a number of essential precautions are taken before you take to the water on Jet Skis. Always wear a well-fitting life vest because collisions can happen suddenly on the water. In the Bertie County case, all three victims were wearing life vests. Jet Ski riders should keep a safe distance from other vessels, including personal watercraft and boats and they should take safety courses. Although no other boat or personal watercraft appears to have been involved in the Bertie County accident, and Cobb’s friends believe he may have hit a tree, negligence is a major cause of accidents on PWCs.
If you believe you or a family member have been injured by the negligence of another boater or Jet Ski user, our experienced personal injury and boating injury attorneys are here to represent you and fight for your rights.
See this Jet Ski safety video.
DM