Going to an amusement park on a hot summer day can be a fun, exhilarating experience for many children, adults, and families. Riding roller coasters, going on twirly rides, eating fair food, and playing carnival games appeals to a large audience. While millions of people visit amusement parks and ride roller coasters each year without any incidences — there are still thousands who are injured while at these exciting parks. In today’s post, we will be covering some of the different types of amusement park/roller coaster accidents that, however unlikely, may occur, and how our professional personal injury lawyers in Minneapolis can help.
Manufacturing Defects
Like all businesses, amusement parks run the risk of potential manufacturing defects with their ride equipment. Whether it be the doors, bars, shoulder harnesses, and so on, a malfunction can occur and cause serious injuries.
Employee Fault
Routine safety checks are required at amusement parks, but employees may fail to perform these by becoming distracted with other job duties. This can lead to failure of a safe ride, properly supervising colleagues who are responsible for ride safety, and failure to use a reasonable standard of care.
Passenger Misuse
While most roller coaster operators go over the rules of the ride before it departs the station, there are times when people disobey these rules. If a rider decides to stand up, rock the cart, unlatch their (or someone else’s) safety restraints, or sits improperly, injury is much more likely to occur.
Back, Neck, and Head Injuries
These are especially common at amusement parks, as many rides have jerking motions that can cause injuries to the back, neck, and/or head. Examples of common rides that cause these injuries include bumper cars, go-karts, and roller coasters with jerking motions.
Water Park Mishaps
Many amusement parks also have water parks that can lead to swimming accidents and loss of control on water slides. Some slides tend to move very quickly, which can cause water park-goers to twist and turn in unnatural ways that can lead to an injury. The height and weight regulations on water slides also need to be strictly followed, as not following these also leads to a greater risk of injury.
If You Are Injured At An Amusement Park, Who Is Responsible?
Depending on what caused the accident to occur, there are three parties who could be responsible for the injury:
- You. If you signed a liability waiver upon arrival to the park, this may prevent you from suing the park for any injuries you may suffer during your time there.
- Amusement park owners. In the case of a defective or poorly maintained roller coaster, water slide, or other amusement park ride, the owners could be held liable for not providing a safe environment. This rule also extends to the entire property of the amusement park — from walking surfaces to the food and beverages that are sold.
- Employees. The amusement park employees are rarely held liable for their actions in an amusement park injury unless they acted in a reckless and harmful manner, such as tripping.
Injured at An Amusement Park? Contact the Personal Injury Lawyers at Woods & Thompson, P.A.
While we don’t want to scare you away from the fun of amusement parks, it is good to be informed about the potential injuries that may occur during your time there and how we can help you if this is the case. In these unfortunate situations, it is important to hold the responsible party liable for their negligence. When it comes to amusement park injuries, liability isn’t always clear-cut. To learn more about your rights to compensation, contact the personal injury lawyers at Woods & Thompson, P.A. in Minneapolis. Your health and safety matter to us, and we would be more than happy to assist you in preserving your legal rights and getting the compensation you deserve.