Leanne Erickson, the 36-year-old mother of three who had just recently survived a shark attack at San Onofre State Beach, has woken from a medically-induced coma. She already had 2 surgeries to her legs and buttocks and several more surgeries are still needed. According to her doctors at the Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla, Leanne will have a long recovery ahead of her though it is possible that some function may be restored again.
The Details of the Shark Attack
Leanne was swimming in front of the Camp Pendleton campgrounds south of San Clemente when she was attacked by a shark. Her boyfriend who was near her at the time was able to get her out of the water with the help of other surfers and swimmers nearby.
One of the people who helped included an EMT trainee who used a surf leash as a tourniquet. Other people also helped by using towels to apply pressure to the large wounds.
The first responders arrived quickly by helicopter, and they took only 15 minutes to get her to the hospital. According to the paramedics, this shark attack was unprecedented. One of them was a veteran of 17 years and this was the first shark attack they have responded to.
Precautionary Measures
One of the paramedics also stated that there’s always an inherent risk whenever a person gets into the water. It’s thus a sensible idea to limit the risks as much as possible. Here are some tips that can at least reduce the chances of a shark attack:
- Don’t go into the water if there are shark warnings posted in the area.
- Swim with a group of people. Sharks tend to attack lone swimmers.
- Don’t ever go into the water if you’re in any way bleeding. Sharks have a phenomenal ability to detect even tiny amounts blood across great distances in the water.
- Don’t splash around wildly. You’re just attracting attention from sharks.
- Keep near the shore if possible. The father away you are, the more likely that you’ll be attacked by a shark.
- Don’t swim at night or during twilight hours. This is the time when sharks are at their most active.
- Take off any shiny objects such as jewelry before you get into the water. Brightly colored clothing is also not be a good idea.
- If you see a shark, swim smoothly but quickly to shore.
- If you’re attacked by a shark, fight back by hitting it in the nose, eyes, or gills. Playing dead doesn’t work.
Legal Measures
It may also be a good idea if you consult our shark attack lawyers who have the expertise in this particular area of the law. It’s a complicated subject and with the free consultation we offer, you may get a clearer idea of what to do in case your insurance company refuses to cover your medical expenses. If you are injured in an accident like this its possible there was negligence involved. Call us a Personal Injury Lawyers San Diego to discuss further.
It’s also possible that a negligent party may be identified. These parties may be a hotel or an aquarium, or a boating company that didn’t take proper precautions to protect their clients against shark attacks. A suit can be filed against them so they can settle or pay damages that can help cover your medical bills, loss of income and others.
Personal Injury Lawyers San Diego
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