Cruel Summer: Avoiding Amusement Park Injuries

Amusement parks are supposed to be a place of fun and excitement. Unfortunately, amusement park rides are notorious for causing injury – and have led to thousands of injuries each year. Injuries at these facilities can range from minor cuts and bruises to broken bones to serious traumatic brain injuries. Those injured at an amusement park can bring their personal injury claim against the amusement park and their owners for their gross negligence.

If you were injured by an amusement park ride or employee’s negligence, you will need to contact a personal injury lawyer. An attorney can assess your case and help identify possible defendants for your claim.

Amusement Park Injury Statistics

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), there were 8,800 people injured in 2006 on amusement park rides and attractions. These are for serious injuries that required an emergency room visit, but the number of people injured that did not require immediate medical attention are also in the thousands – almost doubling that number. Also, inflatable rides account for more than 3,000 injuries each year.

Unfortunately, those that are most commonly injured on amusement park rides and attractions are children. Because children are often allowed to ride on rides that are not suitable for their height or weight, they are at high risk for injury. The biggest cause for amusement park deaths were roller coasters.

Common Types of Amusement Park Injuries

Some injuries are more common from amusement parks than others. These include:

• Back, head, and neck injuries – most commonly seen from bumper car rides and the spinning/whipping motion associated with a roller coaster.
• Death as a result of being dropped or thrown from a roller coaster ride
• Stroke due to trauma to the head or neck.
• Traumatic brain injuries associated with the stress and force of roller coaster rides – especially when the rider’s head is not properly restrained.
• Brain aneurysms from roller coasters and the extreme speeds.
• Broken bones, torn ligaments, and lacerations associated with roller coasters and exposed limbs.
• Drowning or water-related injuries on river rides and in water parks.

Why Amusement Park Injuries Occur

Not all amusement park injuries automatically qualify for a personal injury lawsuit. If you are injured because of your own negligence – such as refusing to put on your safety harness during a roller coaster ride or ignoring clearly posted warning signs. If you contributed to part or all of your injuries, then you may limit how much compensation you can receive from your injury – if any.

There are some reasons amusement parks are negligent and cause injury to their patrons, these common causes include:

• Mechanical failures. If the ride suffers from a mechanical failure, such as a roller coaster detaching from the rails, it could be the park’s fault or the company that manufactured the coaster. Also, if a third party is responsible for maintaining the roller coaster, then he or she may be held liable for any mechanical failures.
• Wrong operation of the ride. If the operator fails to use the ride properly or incorrectly uses that ride, then they may be held liable for any injuries.
• Passenger misuse. When a rider intentionally unlatches their safety harness and moves around while the roller coaster is running, then it is their fault there was an accident – and they could be held liable for any injuries they cause to fellow riders.
• The nature of the ride. Roller coasters are inherently violent and can be destructive on the body. Even with defects or operator errors, the nature of the ride can cause an injury. Sometimes an inappropriate or unsafe design can lead to a lawsuit, but other times the injury occurs due to the nature of the roller coaster itself – even if it was a safe design.

Contact the Personal Injury Attorneys at Glotzer & Kobren

If you or a loved one was injured in an amusement park ride or accident, contact the injury attorneys Boca Raton FL at Glotzer & Kobren today for a free consultation. Our attorneys will aggressively represent your right to compensation – so contact us now at 561-361-8677 for a free consultation.