When Are Amusement Parks Responsible for Injuries?

Posted On August 14, 2017 In Personal Injury

Amusement park injuries are commonplace in our country. In fact, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) estimates that there were 30,000 amusement park injuries during 2016. Some of these injuries are caused by ride malfunctions.f

Several weeks ago, a ride malfunction at the Ohio State Fair caused one death and multiple injuries. According to investigators, a row of seats was ejected from the Fire Ball ride. Two individuals on the ride were tossed more than 20 feet before landing on concrete. Others were injured after being struck by pieces of equipment caused by the ejection. According to the ride’s manufacturer, excessive corrosion was the cause of the amusement park accident.

Tragedies like the one that occurred in Ohio happen every year across the country. Last year at a water park in Kansas City, a 10-year-old boy was decapitated on a water slide. Months later, two young children and a teenager fell off a Ferris wheel in Tennessee. There have also been fatal accidents at Texas theme parks. In 2014, a woman died after falling from a rollercoaster at the Six Flags in Arlington, Texas.

How Can Amusement Park Accidents Happen?

Amusement park accidents may be caused by:

• Amusement park ride operators. Ride operators are responsible for explaining instructions to park goers and ensuring they are safe. These are the folks who may strap you into a ride or explain safety instructions. If these individuals are not properly trained or if they are ineffective at communicating, then you could be put in harm’s way.
• Poor maintenance practices. There is very little oversight in the amusement park industry. As a result, some amusement parks may have poor maintenance procedures. Rides can break down from wear and tear, which may pose a danger. For example, if the latches that keep you seated on a rollercoaster fail, you could be ejected from the ride.
• Defective equipment. Amusement park rides may contain design or manufacturing defects. For example, doors, lap bars or harnesses may contain defects. In other cases, rides may be designed in a way that is dangerous to you or others.
• Poor signage. Theme parks have several restricted areas with safety hazards. For example, at a Six Flags in 2008, a park goer was decapitated by a ride after walking into a restricted area to retrieve his hat. When theme parks do not warn park goers of hazards, they can suffer injuries or wrongful death.

These are only a few examples of how theme park accidents may occur. If you or a loved one suffered harm during a theme park accident, then you may have options to recover damages from the parties who are responsible. By speaking with a Texas personal injury attorney at Mike Love & Associates, LLC, you can learn whether you have options to recover damages.