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.