Texas Amusement Park Accident Attorneys
What the CPSC Has to Say About Accidents at Theme Parks
A day at the amusement park can provide hours of fun and memories that last for years, but unfortunately, these venues are not without dangers. On some occasions, a visit to the amusement park could also result in a visitor suffering serious injuries or even death. In fact, injuries at amusement parks are on the rise. The increase in injuries is a result of owners and operators failing to emphasize park safety.
A loophole in the Consumer Product Safety Act of 1981 prohibits the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) from regulating the safety of rides which are fixed to a specific site, such as those in place at Disney World or Six Flags. As such, visitors to amusement parks must rely on the owners and operators to make sure the rides are safe. Unfortunately, some park owners do not respect the trust placed on their shoulders.
Causes of Amusement Park Accidents in the United States
- Inappropriate ride operator behavior
- Mechanical failure
- Construction flaws or design defects
- Failure to post proper warnings
- Uninspected or unrepaired ride damage
- Ride component failure
- Improper ride operation/poorly trained operators
- Loose parts, corroded, or rusty rides
- Improper safety locks or restraints
- Sharp or protruding objects
- Insufficient height or weight restrictions
- Abrupt starts and stops
- Unsafe loading/unloading procedures
- Faulty assembly
- Exposed electrical wires or other sources of power
- Emergency brake failure
- Poor lighting
- Slick surfaces, particularly near water rides
Common Types of Amusement Park Injuries
- Neck injuries
- Back injuries
- Head injuries / traumatic brain injuries
- Heart attacks
- Bone fractures
- Severed limbs
- Impalement
- Decapitation
Whatever type of injury, you need to speak with your lawyer about your case. A knowledgeable accident lawyer can discuss your case with you and help you understand if remuneration is available. They will also be able to investigate the park's policies and find out what led to your injury.
According to data from the CPSC, approximately 3,400 accidents are reported at amusement parks each year—excluding incidents that occur at the largest sites such as the Disney theme parks.
The CPSC also provides the following injury statistics related to amusement parks:
- Over 270,000,000 people visit amusement parks each year in the United States.
- About 51% of amusement park injuries affect children.
- Women are hurt at theme parks about 1.5 times more often than men.
Amusement Park Accident FAQ
Why do amusement park accidents happen?
Accidents and injuries at amusement parks happen when hazardous conditions are present, inadequate security measures are taken, and when rides or other equipment malfunction. Hazardous conditions may include anything from a poorly lit walkway to an uneven step that causes a slip and fall accidents. Inadequate security may lead to an assault or attack because park personnel were not present or did not respond to an incident. Equipment malfunction may include rides that crash, safety belts or restraint systems that fail, or other systems that are not properly maintained, inspected, or operated. Any of these situations can cause severe injury or even death.
What responsibility do I have to stay safe at an amusement park?
There are hundreds of theme parks across the United States, and these generate about $55 billion in revenue each year. Safety should be the number one priority for park owners, but sometimes they put profits over the well-being of the adults and children who visit their parks. When faced with a lawsuit, they may try to claim that the victim failed to use proper caution or care. In these situations, you do have a certain level of responsibility to stay safe at an amusement park.
This may include:
- Listening to park employees regarding ride safety
- Observing and complying with signs posted about hazards, like wet floors
- Looking where you are going while walking
- Supervising your children
If you were reasonably cautious and complied with signs and employee requests, however, and you were still injured, you should be able to seek justice. There are also situations where your behavior should have no bearing on whether you are responsible, like a defective ride, gross negligence, or park employee misconduct.
Can you sue an amusement park if you’re injured there?
If you were injured while visiting an amusement park, you may have grounds for a lawsuit against the park owner. This would probably fall under the category of a premises liability lawsuit for the park owner’s failure to maintain safe property grounds—if that was the cause of your accident. If a defective ride was to blame, the manufacturer of the ride could be held accountable. However, park operators can be liable for such incidents as slip and fall accidents, falls from rides, and even attacks or assaults by other parkgoers or park employees. They have an obligation to provide a reasonably safe environment for their guests, and if they fail to do so, they should be brought to justice.
Lack of Proper Regulations Hurts Victims of Amusement Park Negligence
With the lack of regulatory enforcement affecting amusement parks and the lack of available statistics regarding theme park injuries, many park operators feel that they do not need to take responsibility for injuries sustained by their customers. As a result, they do whatever it takes to delay or deny payment for injury claims or to settle them quickly for a fraction of the true costs incurred by the victims.
Receive a Free Consultation Today: (888) 493-1629
At Arnold & Itkin, our amusement park attorneys have experience in holding large corporations such as amusement parks accountable when their negligent behavior leads to injuries. If you or a loved one sustained an injury of any type while visiting an amusement park, regardless of its severity, you may be entitled to compensation. The important thing now is to find out about your rights by speaking with a lawyer.
Contact our firm today for a free consultation: (888) 493-1629. We've recovered billions of dollars on behalf of our clients and remain ready to take on major amusement parks.
