Amusement Park Injuries in California
I’m Ed Smith, a personal injury lawyer in Sacramento. Amusement parks are popular places for families and singles to visit, and millions of people each year take advantage of these fun ways to spend the day. However, serious injuries and even deaths have been associated with some amusement park rides.
Negligence by an Amusement Park
Amusements parks are expected to use reasonable care to keep visitors safe. If they do not and an accident causes the injury or death of someone, they can be held financially responsible through a personal injury lawsuit or a wrongful death lawsuit. In addition, not only the operator of the ride may be responsible, the owner of the amusement park may also be held liable. In some cases, when the fault is found to be in the manufacture or design of the ride, the manufacturer may be held liable through product liability.
Employee Responsibilities
An employee or ride operator may be held liable for the following reasons:
- The ride was operated improperly.
- Clear instructions were not given to those on the ride.
- The operator was careless in the operation of the ride.
- The operator did not follow protocols for safety.
- The operator did not adequately check safety restraints.
Owner Responsibilities
Employer/owner responsibilities for an amusement park ride include the following:
- Warning signs were missing.
- Children who were too small for the ride were allowed on.
- The ride had mechanical issues.
- The ride had not been inspected within the past year.
- The employee/operator had been trained inadequately.
- Regular maintenance had not been provided to catch safety issues.
Inspection of Permanent and Temporary Amusement Park Installations
Inspection of both temporary and permanent amusement park rides falls under the jurisdiction of the California Department of Industrial Relations. Under Labor Code sections 7340-7357 and 7900-7932, permanent rides must be inspected annually for structural and operational safety, either by an employee of the Amusement Ride and Tramway unit or by the operator or owner. Inspections may be announced or unannounced. Discretionary inspections may be made when a complaint is filed, or an accident on the ride occurs. Among the areas inspected are included the anti-rollback devices, emergency brakes, passenger restraints and devices that limit the speed of the ride. In the event of an accident, it must be reported within the following 24 hours.
Amusement Park Accidents
In 2016, the Consumer Product Safety Commission reported that emergency rooms saw 30,900 injuries caused by amusement park rides. During the year, a poorly maintained ride at the Ohio State Fair in July killed one rider and injured others. The malfunction was determined as due to “excessive corrosion.” In Kansas, a boy, aged 10, died when he was decapitated at a water slide. In 2017, at a water park in California, another 10-year-old boy was injured on the weekend of Memorial Day at a water ride when he slid off a water slide that had a drop of 80 feet.
Related Articles by Personal Injury Lawyer, Ed Smith:
- Universal Roller Coaster Accidents and Injuries
- Six Flags Accidents and Injuries
- Fire Ball Amusement Rides Closed in Sacramento
Personal Injury Lawyer in Sacramento
I’m Ed Smith, a personal injury lawyer in Sacramento. An outing to an amusement park is supposed to be entertaining, not dangerous. If you or your family are injured by an amusement park ride, you may be entitled to fair compensation. Give me a call at (916) 921-6400 or at (800) 404-5400. I am happy to offer you friendly advice free of charge. If you prefer, I have a contact us form on my website and will get back to you promptly.
For over 35 years, I have practiced as an injury lawyer in Sacramento and the rest of Northern California. It has been my honor to have helped many injured residents obtain the compensation they need and deserve in areas such as vehicular accidents and brain injuries.
Learn about some of my prior cases by visiting Verdicts and Settlements.
Look over client reviews and other comments at:
Because of my record of settlements and/or verdicts of $1 million for injured clients, I belong to the forum at milliondollaradvocates.com.
Photo Attribution: https://pixabay.com/en/carnival-rides-night-ferris-wheel-2648047/
:cd [cs 722] jc cv