Spending your day at the amusement park with your loved ones should be fun. Unfortunately, this is sometimes not the case. Compared to the number of people visiting amusement parks every year, injuries are uncommon. Notably, though, the few ones that occur can be life-threatening. In some cases, lives get lost.
Still, surviving the accident can easily mean years of pain and medical therapy. The outcome is missed time at work, depression, and loss of wages. Note that injuries from games, rides, or poorly maintained grounds and such as hazards do not only occur at amusement parks. Spending your day at any recreational park comes along with a significant amount of risk.
Zimmet & Zimmet have successfully helped many victims of amusement park accidents in Florida file for compensation. We also want to help you. Call us today at 386-255-6400.
One or a combination of safety factors can result in a ride or an attraction at an amusement park becoming unsafe. Notably, negligence on the part of the park’s management or a ride operator stands out as a leading cause of amusement park injuries. Improper operation, poor ride maintenance, inadequate training, or even failure to alert riders to special safety restrictions are all good examples of what amounts to amusement park negligence.
Manufacturer’s defects or machinery glitches can also cause rides to stall or completely fail without warning. This can happen regardless of how well a rider is trained or how well a machine is operated. Such defects are relatively common in new amusement parks that have rushed to open without adequate staff training and machine testing. Any of these factors can lead to situations at the park that put you at risk for:
Note that you can also be at risk for food poisoning at an amusement park if one of their iconic treats is improperly prepared or contaminated.
A 2006 report released by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) revealed that 8800 people were rushed to the emergency room that year of severe injuries sustained at amusement parks. It does not end there; an additional 3,100 people were injured in water slides while 3600 people suffered injuries at inflatable attractions. Children and teens comprised nearly half of all these injuries.
Breakdown of all amusement park fatalities in 2006 reveals that:
Any venue that invites members of the public to enjoy select attractions has a legal duty to maintain and observe the proper safety of its grounds and equipment. Two types of liability laws cover such obligations – premises liability and product liability.
Premises liability refers to the guarantee that you will be safe walking from one amusement park attraction to another and that potential hazards will be clearly labeled for your convenience. Any dangerous areas or spots that are not noted with the appropriate safety, barriers, or warning signs may cause injuries that the park will be held liable for.
Product liability, on the other hand, refers to the acknowledgment that any equipment or products used at an amusement park are safe, secure, and in good working condition. Failure to adhere to these safety measures makes either the manufacturer of the machine used in the park or the park management liable for any resulting injuries.
Allow Zimmet & Zimmet to handle your claim for compensation. Our track record speaks for itself. Call us today at 386-255-6400.
Report any amusement park accident incident you get involved in right away. Take the following steps immediately you sustain an injury at an amusement park:
If legal counsel or an insurance company for the amusement park contacts you, direct them to talk to your attorney. This is very important because the park and the insurance company will most likely look for a quick or easy settlement in a bid to avoid negative publicity. Avoid the settlement because they are often not enough to cover the injury-related expenses.
We have been practicing law since 1985. Since then, we have helped thousands of Florida injury victims successfully recover damages from liable parties. Our legal team features some of the most experienced attorneys in the country. You can, therefore, be sure you’re in safe hands with us.
Call us today at 386-255-6400 or write to us, for a free case consultation.
Founder and Senior Member of Zimmet & Zimmet
Mr. Zimmet has practiced trial law in Central Florida since 1975 and currently represents plaintiffs in the areas of personal injury, nursing malpractice, and medical malpractice.
