Understanding Amusement Park Injuries
The popularity of amusement parks is undeniable. Whether you’re a child, teenager, or an adult, you’ll surely enjoy amusement park rides such as Ferris wheels, waters slides, bumper cars, and roller coasters. However, amusement park injuries are very common. You can sustain injuries ranging from bumps and bruises to broken bones and serious brain damage. Sometimes, amusement park injuries may also result in death.
What are the common injuries at amusement parks?
The same injuries that you may sustain in a traffic accident or other personal injury accident can also be sustained by you or your child while riding amusement park rides. Your body can often be whipped around in the same manner a body is thrown around in a car accident. Here are the most common amusement park injuries:
- Bruises, scrapes, and lacerations
- Neck injuries such as whiplash
- Fractures and broken bones
- Back and spinal cord injuries
- Severe brain and head injuries, including concussions and traumatic brain injuries
- Soft tissue injuries, including damage to muscles, ligaments, and tendons
- Drowning accidents on water rides
Should you get injured at the amusement park, then you should report it right away so you can get proper medical attention.
What Causes Amusement Park Injuries?
The cause of an amusement park injury may be attributed to a variety of factors. Let’s take a look at the different scenarios/ circumstances that cause injuries in an amusement park:
- Mechanical failures and defective materials or parts.
- The lack of trained supervision for rides.
- Broken amusement park rides.
- Inadequate training for ride operators.
- Reckless behavior and passenger misuse.
- Failure to maintain rides and perform regular inspections.
- Slip and fall accidents are caused by tripping hazards, slippery surfaces, and other dangerous conditions.
- The dangerous nature of a ride, such as a roller coaster causes the passenger to be whipped around in various directions at a fast pace.
Premises liability, product liability, and negligence are three of the most common causes of action used to prove fault and liability for an amusement ride accident. The guests of the amusement park must be able to prove that the defendant’s actions were a direct and proximate cause of the passenger’s/ guest’s injury.
What are the damages awarded for amusement park injuries?
If the defendant is responsible for the guest’s injuries, then the amusement park may be held accountable for:
- Physical pain and suffering
- Medical treatment
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Loss of income
- Permanent disabilities
- Mental trauma and emotional suffering
- Other out of pocket expenses/ damages
Remember, the amount of compensation you may receive for your amusement park injury claim depends on several factors. The type of injury, the severity of the injury, and the amount of financial damages are just a few factors that determine the value of your personal injury claim.
Amusement park injury claims can be tricky because amusement park owners claim passengers assume the risk of injury when riding their attractions. Contact us today for a free case evaluation with a West Virginia personal injury attorney to determine if your injury was the result of wrongdoing or negligence that makes the operator/ owner liable for damages.
Jeffery Robinette was admitted to practice law in 1991 and is licensed in all levels of state and federal trial courts in West Virginia. Mr. Robinette is also licensed in all state and federal appeals courts in West Virginia and the United States Supreme Court. As a National Board Certified Trial Attorney who has handled hundreds of motor vehicle, injury, and construction defect claims and a leading author on insurance claims settlement issues and difficulties in West Virginia, Jeff Robinette is uniquely qualified to represent your best interest.
