To have some freshness in hot weather, people often spend their free time near water and do water sports. Being imprudent or reckless, nevertheless, often causes injuries not only to those doing water sports, but also accidental injuries to other holiday-makers. In the end of July, BTA Baltic Insurance Company JSC (henceforward referred to as BTA) received an insurance indemnity application for a water accident at Lucavsala swimming place in Riga where a client had been hit by a wakeboard while swimming. The client suffered a nose injury in the collision with the wakeboard. Considering the hot weather expected over the upcoming weekend and the large numbers of people going to public places for swimming, BTA prompts those doing water sports to opt for locations which have been especially adapted to active recreation, and also holiday-makers to exercise extra caution while swimming near any such locations.

While enjoying the summerly weather conditions, people often choose to stay near water. The experience of BTA shows that the most frequent injuries suffered near water include various cuts and scratches while swimming in stony areas, or cuts caused by shells or glass fragments. Over the last few years, water sports, such as wakeboarding, kiteboarding, or water-skiing, have become popular among holiday-makers. Injuries are suffered not only by those doing water sports, but also by other holiday-makers. The increasing numbers of those opting to do various types of sport also increase the incidence of imprudent and reckless individuals who cause injuries to other holiday-makers, such as injuries in accidental collisions with water sports equipment.

Typical accidents involving unintentional injuries caused to swimmers by people doing water sports have occurred this summer as well. For example, in the end of July this year, BTA received an insurance indemnity application for a water accident where a client was hit by a wakeboard while swimming. In the accident, which occurred at Lucavsala swimming place in Riga, the client suffered a nose injury in a collision with a wakeboard. People must be aware that, in such situations, the guilty individual must assume liability for the injuries unintentionally caused to another individual. If the individual having suffered an injury has a casualty insurance policy, the insurance company will cover the medical expenses incurred by the injured individual and pay an indemnity depending on the severity of the suffered injury, whereas the injured person may lodge a civil claim against the guilty individual for recovery of losses.

Iveta Rijniece, Director of Insurance Claims Handling Department of BTA Baltic Insurance Company JSC: “People who choose to do water sports must pay attention not only to their own safety, but also strictly follow that their activities do not endanger any other holiday-makers. I must admit that people doing water sports are often imprudent and reckless in choosing to do their on-water activities in areas with a lot of swimmers and other holiday-makers around. In such cases, the individuals doing water sports are much more likely to suffer injuries themselves while trying to avoid collisions with swimmers, and are also much more likely to cause injuries to other holiday-makers. People do not always consider that the losses caused by their actions can be severe and that they would need to indemnify the losses suffered by the injured individual. In many countries world-wide, including the European states, the United States of America, people consider it standard to hold a third-party liability insurance policy to secure themselves from losses caused by unintentional activities, because they know that the sufferer will certainly institute a civil claim in order to recover their losses. Unfortunately, the number of civil suits instituted by people to recover their losses has increased just slightly. Although slowly, the interest of people about the type of third-party liability insurance which envisages coverage for losses associated with the life or health of another individual, the property of another individual as well as the indemnification of the expenses associated with the rescue operations and judicial proceedings is increasing.”

According to the weather forecast, this weekend will come with high heat of +27...+32 degrees Celsius in many locations in Latvia. In some areas, the temperature is likely to reach even +33 degrees Celsius. Considering that this summer has not been pampering the Latvian population with hot weather, many people will rush to enjoy the hot day near water. Therefore, BTA prompts lovers of water sports to be careful and responsible and also choose locations for their water sports activities which are not near any densely visited places for swimming. Swimmers should also take extra caution and avoid swimming in areas where other holiday-makers do water sports.

Agnese Grīnberga
Head of Public Relations
BTA Baltic Insurance Company JSC
e-mail: agnese.grinberga@bta.lv
Phone: +371 67025661, cellular: +371 27828796