An Open Letter of Personal Perspective to the Diving Industry by NetDoc

[The Chairman]

Yet the family sued the scouts and PADI but not their doctors

Actually, they sued the doctor and the doctor's practice as well as the non-certified buddy. It was definitely a shotgun approach.

 

[Omisson]

Actually, they sued the doctor and the doctor's practice as well as the non-certified buddy. It was definitely a shotgun approach.

Doc,

I don't believe so.

I thought the doctors were implead by the instructor defendant in a third party/cross complaint - which was ultimately dismissed for lack of jurisdiction.

---------- Post added December 26th, 2014 at 04:16 PM ----------

Actually I just checked the caption- I'm right.

 

[TTPaws]

... as well as the non-certified buddy. It was definitely a shotgun approach.

I think this the saddest part of the whole case.

 

[The Chairman]

I thought the doctors were implead by the instructor defendant in a third party/cross complaint - which was ultimately dismissed for lack of jurisdiction.

It might have been both. In this case, the instructor certainly doesn't want to accept any blame and neither do the parents. In the end, we have higher premiums and watch everyone play the "cover your butt" game.

 

[Wookie]

Actually, they sued the doctor and the doctor's practice as well as the non-certified buddy. It was definitely a shotgun approach.

Doc,

I don't believe so.

I thought the doctors were implead by the instructor defendant in a third party/cross complaint - which was ultimately dismissed for lack of jurisdiction.

---------- Post added December 26th, 2014 at 04:16 PM ----------

Actually I just checked the caption- I'm right.

You are both right. They sued the docs, and they were dismissed. It's what I find frustrating about all of these self serving threads (they all serve someone personally, and don't do the industry any good) is that everyone sees the facts they want to see. Everyone assigns a motive as they see fit. Everyone is right, but the story is much more complex than a simple "the instructors was wrong, PADI is right, Brian is an a$$hole, Willis are dicks".

 

[Omisson]

You are both right. They sued the docs, and they were dismissed. It's what I find frustrating about all of these self serving threads (they all serve someone personally, and don't do the industry any good) is that everyone sees the facts they want to see. Everyone assigns a motive as they see fit. Everyone is right, but the story is much more complex than a simple "the instructors was wrong, PADI is right, Brian is an a$$hole, Willis are dicks".

Nod.

This is very true which is why I said at the outset the industry was ill served by Brian's letter in the first place... You do agree with that right?

 

[tursiops]

"the instructors was wrong, PADI is right, Brian is an a$$hole, Willis are dicks".

Not a bad summary! Incomplete, probably, but wrong? I doubt it.

 

[The Chairman]

Wookie,

the whole point of a discussion is to try and figure out what is right. I would love to hear any info or insights you might have into this. We want to hear about all the complexities inherent in the law suit. Right now, it just doesn't make sense, so please help.

 

[Wookie]

Nod.

This is very true which is why I said at the outset the industry was ill served by Brian's letter in the first place... You do agree with that right?

I agree that the timing and message as interpreted by the masses serves the industry poorly. I have spoken to Brian at length, and I think what he was trying to say is important. I have spoken to Peter Meyer at length, and his message was important too. Sadly, the important message was swept away by many including me trying to defend or castigate the letters.

Wookie,

the whole point of a discussion is to try and figure out what is right. I would love to hear any info or insights you might have into this. We want to hear about all the complexities inherent in the law suit. Right now, it just doesn't make sense, so please help.

Which part, Pete?

the message isn't that the instructor was wrong, I think we can all agree that the instructor acted in no ones best interests. The message isn't that PADI was right, they got rid of an instructor who shouldn't be instructing. It isn't even about PADI doing something slimy in court, with respect to Omission, we pay lawyers to win, and we really don't care how unless they get caught.

to me, it's about the ethics, and morals if you will about scuba. It's about me looking in the mirror at the end of the day and knowing that I gave my customers their money's worth. It's about you looking at yourself in the mirror and saying that you taught your OW student to the best of your ability, and that you gave them the tools to keep them safe. It's about Brian looking at himself in the mirror and saying "I wrote a letter, and it reflected my convictions", and it's about Drew and Al and whatever they say when they look in the mirror. Are Drew and Al doing the ethically correct thing, or are they making maximum profit for their shareholders? Only they look in that mirror. Maybe they are doing both.

Pete, in the end, all we have are our reputation. It doesn't make a difference how much money we made, it doesn't matter how many students we taught, or how many wrecks we dived. The only thing that matters is how we treated others, were we fair, did we treat them as we expected to be treated, or did we extract the maximum resources from them, and leave them wondering why they had an empty experience.

you already know what is right, and I find you a morally straight character in this whole debacle. I find most participants in this thread have the strength of their convictions. There are those not participating, however, that I question.

 

[The Chairman]

There are those not participating, however, that I question.

Indeed. Some have tried to pull strings from the back ground. Some started participating and bugged out when challenged. Ethics have been at the core of this whole discussion. It's been kind of disappointing that we have seen the bad side of this.