Los Angeles Amusement Park Lawyer
Our experienced team of Los Angeles Amusement Park Lawyers are always ready to take on a challenging case, whether it involves a slip and fall, ride malfunction, negligent park management or a premise liability.
Amusement parks are a popular Southern California's activity, having a large variety of theme parks in a close proximity with consistently good weather.
But with thrill seeking and large amount of constant pedestrian traffic comes potential danger. Even if you are always on the lookout for hazards, out of control situations or any other potentially dangerous situation, it's not always in your control what happens, especially with amusement park accidents.
Top 10 Most Common Theme Park Injuries
Theme parks have an immense amount of foot-traffic, some parks getting up to 20 million visitors per year. With such a huge quantity of excited and amped up thrill seekers, it is inevitable someone is bound to get hurt sooner or later.
The 10 most common amusement park injuries consist of the following:
- Head, neck and back injuries: Riders experience sudden drops, twists and turns which can result in severe whiplash. Some roller coasters have had situations where roller coasters actually run into each other. Bumper cars are known for their high-impact and jerking movements.
- Bruises, Torn Ligaments and Lacerations: Bruises, cut, scrapes and lacerations can result from aggressive movements on rides, other park-goers or from slips and falls.
- Broken Bones: Visitors can be known to be hyper and very excited about the adrenalin rush experienced at amusement parks, which can lead some individuals to do things like running and jumping around, climbing, rough-housing, getting into physical altercations and fights. People have also been known to fall from stair cases, waiting lines that are high off the ground and even falling or getting thrown out of a roller coaster of ride.
- Traumatic Head Injuries: Concussions, brain aneurysms, comas and other traumatic head injuries can result from violent ride movements, sudden stops, unexpected acceleration, being rear ended or the ride not stopping and running head on into something. Traumatic head injuries can also be caused by slips and falls, wrongdoing and negligent park management. Shrapnel, flying parts or low overhangs can cause catastrophic head and brain injuries, decapitations and immediate death. As well as:
- Food Poisoning
- Aggressive or Violent Assault
- Stroke from Trauma to Ligaments in the Neck
- Drowning and Suffocation
- Limb Amputation and Dismemberment
- Death
Southern California Amusement Parks
- Disneyland - Anaheim, CA
- Knott's Berry Farm - Buena Park, CA
- Universal Studios Hollywood - Universal City, CA
- Disney's California Adventure - Anaheim, CA
- Six Flags Magic Mountain - Santa Clarita, CA
- Legoland California - Carlsbad, CA
- Pacific Park - Santa Monica, CA
- Belmont Park - San Diego, CA
- Castle Park - Riverside, CA
- Aquatica - San Diego, CA
Do Amusement Park Rides Break Down?
Yes, amusement park rides can break down, or have mechanical and technical difficulties and failures, which can result in injuries, deaths, or in many cases extreme panic attacks.
Some people will try and escape when a ride breaks down, trying to get out of their harness or seatbelt, climb to a nearby emergency escape route or ladder and can fall to their death, break bones, become stuck inside the rides parts and many other extremely dangerous and potentially deadly situations.
Heart attacks, strokes and in more minor and less severe cases, panic attacks can be triggered by people who are already afraid of rides, heights, have claustrophobia or highly dislike being stuck in a place they wish not to be.
In the video below, ABC reports on the Windseeker, a giant swing ride over 300 feet in the air at Southern California's Knott's Berry Farm Amusement Park, that breaks down at the top, for over 4 hours.
Top 15 Most Dangerous Types of Thrill Ride Types
Many types of rides offer that adrenalin rush amusement park-goers are searching for, but depending on your choice of ride, can increase your risk for serious injury or potential fatality.
The following list provides the most dangerous and high-number of reported injuries or deaths related to their specific type during 1 year:
- Steel Coasters: 495
- Water Slides: 438
- Boat Rides: 93
- Wooden Coasters: 87
- Water Park Playgrounds: 84
- Alpine Sliders: 72
- Car Rides: 72
- Log Rides: 72
- Slides: 69
- Carousels: 60
- Rafting Rides: 60
- Train Rides: 57
- Rides Operating in the Dark: 54
- Go-Karts: 51
- Simulators: 51
Protecting Your California Rights
Theme park accidents can be devastating and catastrophic. If you or a loved one has been injured in a theme park accident, an experienced Los Angeles amusement park accident lawyer at Bisnar Chase can help you better understand your legal rights and options.
We will listen to your account of the incident, help you assess the value of your claim and given you an honest and comprehensive evaluation. We do not charge any fees until you have recovered compensation for your losses. For more information about pursuing your legal rights, please contact us at 323-238-4683 to speak with our Los Angeles personal injury lawyer.
Why Theme Parks Are Dangerous
Southern California is a virtual paradise for amusement park aficionados. Tourists to the area as well as many Los Angeles residents regularly make trips to great attractions such as Universal Studios, Magic Mountain, Disneyland, Hurricane Harbor and Pacific Park.
Local amusement parks provide a lot of family fun and a much-needed economic boost to local communities, but they can also present a number of dangers and injury hazards to visitors.
Many Los Angeles amusement parks are closely supervised and properly maintained. However, there are a number of reasons why theme parks can be dangerous. Visitors are at risk of being injured whenever workers fail to inspect or maintain the rides.
Ride operators can also negligently cause dangerous situations by failing to post clear warning signs on particularly fast or treacherous rides. For example, some rides are not safe for patrons with heart problems and blood pressure issues. It is a form of negligence to not post warning signs that deter visitors with heart issues from rides that are hazardous to their health.
It is also dangerous to have roller coasters and other rides operated by workers who are not properly trained or experienced. They may not have the skills or experience to know how to prevent an accident. It is also a recipe for disaster to cut corners by ignoring problems with the rides.
Failing to inspect, maintain and repair damaged attractions is a serious form of negligence that can result in devastating injuries. Some accidents also occur due to defective or faulty parts in rides and attractions.
Amusement park incidents could range from slip-trip-and-fall accidents on broken sidewalks to high-speed roller-coaster malfunction or derailment. Everyone knows there is some degree of risk when visiting a theme park, but no one expects to suffer a serious injury when trying to have a fun day at the park with family.
Victims of amusement park accidents can suffer serious injuries such as bone fractures, sprained ligaments, strained muscles, neck injuries, brain trauma, lacerations, etc.
These types of injuries can result in long-term issues that put an emotional and financial burden on the victim and his or her family. It is important that these types of injuries are treated right away and that the victims are offered adequate compensation for their injuries, damages and losses.
What to Do After an Accident
Not all accidents are as obvious as a derailment. If you are hurt at a theme park, you must make an effort to notify a manager. It is advisable to file a complaint, seek out medical attention and gather evidence. It can help to have photos of the site of the accident including the hazardous condition that led to your injuries.
Before you leave for the hospital, try to get contact information for anyone who witnessed the incident and write down everything you can remember about the incident. You should also take photos of your injuries the day of the incident and continue to take photos over the following days and weeks as they heal.
Disclaimers and Liability
Even if you take all the steps necessary to protect your rights, you still may face resistance from the theme park when filing a claim. It is common for amusement parks to argue that the disclaimer they put on the back of their tickets prevents you from filing a lawsuit.
Judges are well aware that visitors rarely read these disclaimers and that the wording is often confusing and vague. Do not allow any type of intimidation tactics to prevent you from pursuing your legal rights.
Understanding Your Legal Options
If you do choose to file a claim, you may need assistance from an experienced Los Angeles amusement park attorney who has handled cases similar to yours in the past. The law in this area can be confusing because it often involves a number of factors.
Depending on the cause of the crash, a theme park lawsuit may involve legal issues such as premises liability, product liability and personal injury. The type of claim that a victim may file will depend upon the cause of the accident.
For example, a premises liability claim can be used to hold a property owner accountable for injuries suffered because of a hazardous condition. For instance, if you slip and fall on a wet restroom floor at the amusement park, that becomes a premises liability case.
A product liability claim can be filed against the manufacturer of a defective ride or attraction. For example, if a defective bolt comes loose from a ride and causes you to fall and suffer injuries, the manufacturer of the ride or the faulty part can be held liable.
When someone sufferes a fatal injury in result of an amusement park accident or negligent park management, the victims' family may file a wrongful death claim to recover compensation for medical and funeral costs, pain and suffering, loss of future income and loss of companionship.
If you or someone you know has been injured in an amusement park accident or have lost a loved one due to an amusement park accident, contact a Los Angeles Amusement Park Lawyer at (323) 238-4683 for a Free Consultation.
