AMUSEMENT PARK/THEME PARK ACCIDENTS

Going to an amusement park is supposed to be fun for the whole family. But when park personnel fail in their duty to keep visitors safe, a joyous vacation or time out can quickly turn to tragedy.

If you or a loved one has suffered a catastrophic injury or wrongful death in a California amusement park accident, please reach out to the personal injury lawyers at The Law Offices Of Michael A. Fiumara for legal assistance.

What Factors Contribute to Amusement Park Accidents?

Theme parks are complex operations with lots of moving and assembled parts. They require an extensive staff comprised of not only service workers and entertainers but also maintenance, custodians, emergency medical technicians, and other employees in a wide variety of trades.

Unfortunately, not all amusement park operators hire quality help. Some cut corners for the sake of profits, employing temporary workers with minimal training. As a result, potential hazards are overlooked.  For example, an employee encounters an emergency situation he/ she is ill-equipped to handle and eventually, someone gets seriously hurt, or worse, killed, usually due to the following causes:

-Slip and fall conditions left unaddressed

-Negligent security

-Failure to follow guidelines for height, weight, and age restrictions on rides

-Poorly maintained or assembled rides

-Operator error or inattention to detail

While inadequate staffing can be a problem, amusement park accidents are more commonly associated with mechanical ride failures. From conventional Ferris wheels to spectacular roller coasters, amusement park rides are feats of engineering which require constant checkups, maintenance and constant upkeep. Negligent monitoring and maintenance can lead to fatal if not disastrous accidents.  If not extremely disastrous, incidents.

Ride accidents can be caused by:

Design defects

-Loose or worn out parts

Defective or inferior parts

-Faulty safety harnesses

-Safety lock failure or malfunctions

-Sharp or protruding moving parts

-Improper height or weight calculations

-Inadequate padding

-Abrupt starts and stops

-Exposed electrical wires

Employee error or lack of training or supervision

Roller Coaster Accidents

Roller coasters are some of the most popular and entertaining rides at amusement parks, but they also cause some of the deadliest and most terrifying accidents. In the year 2000 alone, there were over 10,580 emergency visits due to roller coaster injuries, and this number has steadily increased ever since. The laws governing responsibility in roller coaster accidents are extremely complicated, due to the fact that assigning negligence and blame in such cases is frequently challenging because of contributory  negligence factors and conflicting witness statements.

Ferris Wheel Accidents

Towering ferris wheels are the hallmark symbol of amusement parks around the world, but few people realize how dangerous these seemingly innocuous rides can be. Ferris wheels are responsible for many types of injuries, but the most commonly reported are falls from unsecured cars or accidents involving the components of the ride. A malfunction could unlock the security bar or worse.

What Types of Amusement Park Accident Lawsuits Are Likely?

Depending on the facts of your amusement park injury , a number of different types of lawsuits may be available to individuals who have been injured at an amusement park. Although the specific claim depends on the nature of the accident that led to the injury, two of the most commonly-filed types of amusement park injury lawsuits are negligence and product liability.

Negligence – If an amusement park injury was caused by the carelessness or inattention of the park itself or an employee of the amusement park, the lawsuit will most likely be based on a negligence cause of action in such a claim, the plaintiff must prove that the law required the defendant to be reasonably careful, and that the defendant failed in this capacity, which led to the individual being injured.

Examples of negligence in amusement park injury lawsuits include:

-failure to post clear warning signs

-posting signs that don’t adequately warn patrons of the risks involved

-failing to properly train ride operators and amusement park employees

-failing to regularly inspect and maintain the rides

-improperly operating a ride

-providing inadequate instructions to riders

Product Liability – Other amusement park injuries may occur due to defective rides or components, and not by the negligence of the park or its employees. For example, the faulty design of a lap bar may cause it to unlatch while in use, causing the rider to fall to the ground. These types of defects may give rise to product liability lawsuits against the manufacturer or the distributor of the component that failed.  t In these claims, plaintiffs must prove that the structure, equipment, or part was defective, and that the defect caused the injury or death of  the victim.

How Can I Win My Amusement Park Accident Claim?

 

Amusement park injury claims often involve many complex theories of law requiring legal expertise, such as product liability, negligence, and premises liability law. Also, many amusement park owners may not settle a claim unless a lawsuit is filed, or they will try to settle as cheaply as possible. To increase the likelihood that you get the full compensation you deserve, get help from a skilled and highly experienced  attorney who  had handled these types of cases.

Please contact the Law Offices Of Michael A. Fiumara Today

Theme park lawsuits can seem overwhelming since they involve several overlapping areas of law such as premise liability, product liability, strict liability, premises liability and personal injury areas of law. It is our hope that we may use our experience and expertise in this area of the law to help protect the rights of people injured at theme parks, amusement parks, carnivals and fairs.

The Law Offices of Michael A. Fiumara and the Firm’s experienced team of personal injury attorneys and experts has successfully represented numerous injured individuals in all kinds of premises liability cases. This law firm has the compassion, resources, expertise and experience to help and counsel the unfortunate victims of amusement park and carnival injuries.

Our experienced  and highly skilled team of attorneys have  won millions of dollars on behalf of families just like yours. You may not be able to change the past, but you can fight to secure a better future in a liability lawsuit against the amusement park, Theme Park, or carnival that has wronged you.

Please let us help. Call us today at 707-571-8600 OR 760-832-6118. YOU Don’t Pay, unless we WIN!

We offer comprehensive case evaluations, free of charge. So, why delay? Call us or submit an online contact form to get in touch with one of our dedicated team members.

 

Please call our office at (707) 571-8600 in our centrally located Santa Rosa office in Sonoma County to schedule a free and confidential case evaluation.