Amusement parks or theme parks are supposed to be fun, but they can be very dangerous. When big rides, like roller coasters, malfunction the results can be disastrous. That is usually the biggest fear that people have when they think of amusement park dangers, but smaller accidents are far more common and can still be deadly. If you or your child has been injured at an amusement park our experienced Los Angeles amusement park attorneys can help you get the compensation you deserve.
Types of Amusement Park Accident and Injuries
Amusement park accidents can happen on or off of rides. The accidents we often imagine happening on rides are big, dramatic, and scary, but other types of ride accidents can cause devastating injuries and can happen with little or no notice from other guests of the theme park. Amusement park accidents can include:
- Slipping completely or partially out of restraints on a ride
- Ride malfunction
- Excessive G-forces or inappropriate forces on a ride that is functioning normally
- Accident while entering or exiting rides
- Slip and fall
- Trampling
- Assault
- Parking lot accidents
Amusement park injuries can include:
- Brain injury
- Whiplash
- Back injury
- Neck injury
- Amputations
- Crush injuries
- Broken bones and fractures
- Burns
- Electrocution
- Food poisoning
- Hearing loss
Amusement Park Ride Accidents
Amusement park ride accidents sometimes involve a ride malfunction, but are more often the result of human error. Causes of amusement park ride accidents and injuries can include:
- Design flaws
- Poorly constructed or inadequately maintained rides
- Defective restraints or other defective safety equipment
- Failure to properly inspect rides
- Mechanical malfunction
- Inadequately trained ride operators
- Failure to adequately warn passengers of ride dangers or restrictions
- Failure to enforce ride restrictions
- Operator errors such as instructing passengers to exit before the ride has come to a complete stop or starting a ride before all passengers are properly secured
Other Amusement Park Accidents
Just like any other business, amusement parks have a duty to provide a safe environment for their guests. That includes basic premises liability issues such as cleaning up spills in a timely fashion to prevent slip and fall and providing adequate security. Many of the accidents which occur at amusement parks are due to negligence that is unrelated to the rides themselves. Causes of amusement park injuries and accidents not associated with rides include:
- Uneven walkways, spills which are not cleaned up in a timely fashion, or other hazards
- Inadequate crowd control
- Inadequate security
- Poor parking lot design
- Poor lighting
- Loud noises
If you or a loved one has been injured or killed in an amusement park accident, please call our Los Angeles, California accident attorneys at 1-877 LOSS RECOVER (1-877-567-7732) or submit an online questionnaire. The initial consultation with our personal injury lawyers is free of charge, and if we agree to handle your case, in most cases we will work on a contingency fee basis, which means we get paid for our services only if there is a monetary recovery of funds. In many cases, a personal injury lawsuit must be filed before an applicable expiration date, known as a statute of limitations. Please call right away to ensure that you do not waive your right to possible compensation.