Even though the mere concept of an amusement park conjures images of family
fun and joy, the reality is amusement parks can be notoriously dangerous
and unsafe for visitors. Thousands of people report mild to severe injuries
in amusement parks across the country every year, which do not even take
into account the many deaths people suffer at theme parks. Based on Consumer
Product Safety Commission (CPSC) data, the age group most likely to be
injured at amusement parks are children between the ages of 10 and 14.
If you are planning on taking a vacation sometime soon with your family
to an amusement park, it is important to understand the common causes
of theme park injuries. Knowing what they are could help you avoid trouble
while at the park, and will help you prove liability in case something
goes wrong and you or a loved one is injured.
Four of the most common reasons amusement park accidents occur are:
-
Mechanical defect: Rollercoasters and other amusement park rides need near-constant maintenance
to identify and correct mechanical defects before they lead to a catastrophic
failure and accident. Theme parks that take safety seriously will conduct
maintenance checks at least once a day on all of their rides and attractions.
When going to an amusement park, you may want to ask a manager how often
the rides are inspected and maintained.
-
Operator failure: Devastating amusement park accidents often occur due to the mistakes or negligence of the employee operating
the ride. Examples of operator failure includes not securing lap bars,
sending a second train onto a rollercoaster when the first is not clear,
hitting the ride’s brakes abruptly and without reason, and so forth.
Amusement parks must thoroughly train all operators and make certain they
understand the responsibility they accept through their employment.
-
Design flaw: Some amusement park attractions are dangerous just by design and may cause
rider injury through normal, unflawed use. Consider rides that rapidly
spin over and over. Many riders report suffering
severe headaches, retinal bleeding, and even unconsciousness after riding a spinning attraction.
-
Passenger error: Riders placed onto an amusement park attraction may inadvertently cause
their own injury or accident by failing to follow instructions given by
operators. However, passengers hurt in this way might not be fully liable
for any resulting damages, as they should expect ride operators and supervisors
to take ample steps to ensure all riders are following instructions before
the ride begins.
Legal Help After an Amusement Park Injury
When you or a loved one are seriously injured due to the negligence of
an amusement park or a ride’s design, it is likely to be a harrowing,
confusing time. To find solid ground again and a powerful legal ally for
your personal injury claim,
contact Paulsen Law Group and our Dunedin personal injury attorney. Backed by
15+ years of legal experience and a history of case success and client
satisfaction, we know you will be confident in our representation and
legal care.
For a
free consultation, you only need to call 727.270.8260 today.