Agency Negligence

Diving instructors are, for the most part, professionals devoted to teaching diving in the safest manner possible. Diving certification agencies, in an effort to standardize training, have established standards and procedures for classroom, swimming

pool and open water training. Failure to adhere to these standards and procedures may result in injury to the diving student and liability on the part of the instructor. Failure on the part of the certification agency to set proper standards and procedures for its instructors may also result in liability.

A diving student must rely on his or her instructor for proper training and guidance. An instructor must ensure that a student be provided an opportunity to learn every aspect of the course, both in the classroom as well as in the swimming pool and open water.The instructor should also not hesitate withholding certification of divers who are not physically or mentally proficient in the skills presented. Instructors are, and should well be, held to a high standard of care for their conduct in their teaching of future divers.