Amusement Parks: Hazardous to Your Health?

  • Dan T. Matrafajlo
  • Mon May 2018
  • Accident,
  • 0

Seat falling downYou might easily scoff at the idea that amusement parks could be hazardous to your health. After all, you’re one of those people who hits Great Adventure or the boardwalk rides as soon as you can. However, freak accidents can occur at these attractions. Unfortunately, thousands of people are injured each year on amusement rides nationwide as a result of park negligence.

Imagine that you and your family decide to spend a sunny day at a New Jersey amusement park. While your six-year-old daughter is enjoying herself in a bouncy house with other children, a strong gust of wind topples it on its side because it is not securely tied down.

Understandably, you go into full panic mode. In the end, you are confused. Why didn’t the amusement park have some protective measure in place? Your daughter sustains a broken wrist after colliding on top of another child. The other children inside the bouncy house suffer similar injuries, but fortunately, they are minor and not life-altering—and there are no fatalities.

Amusement Park Responsibility

While amusement parks can provide lots of fun and relaxation, they also pose a risk of injury.

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, there were an estimated 30,000 injuries in 2016 caused by amusement park attractions. Meanwhile, a fair number of people also become injured in water park accidents. Amazingly, more are hurt on water attractions than roller coasters – although that doesn’t always mean there was negligence involved.

Most amusement park rides are safe, but occasionally there is a tragic malfunction. In recent years, there have been several amusement park disasters resulting in serious injuries and fatalities. When there is an amusement park injury, it can often be attributable to the park owner’s negligence.

It is the amusement park’s responsibility to protect you and your children from harm and maintain safe rides. This includes maintenance and inspections, safety restraints, employee supervision, and proper safety instruction for guests. And, yes – an inattentive ride attendant can be a factor in injuries on rides/

Operators of amusement parks are responsible for injuries that occur on its attractions as a result of safety violations, lack of frequent maintenance, and operator error. Failure to maintain the rides can result in loose cables, failed safety harnesses, broken motors, and overturned rides. Also, failure to maintain the park grounds can result in hidden dangers, such as broken railings and slippery surfaces, in which case the park owner is responsible.

There are many types of injuries that amusement park-goers can experience from owner negligence, depending on the nature of the accident. You or a loved may suffer from:

  • Head injuries
  • Neck and spinal cord damage (whiplash)
  • Broken bones and fractures
  • Severed limbs
  • Cuts, scrapes, lacerations
  • Drowning on water rides
  • Slip and fall as a result of slippery surfaces
  • Fatalities

If you suffer an injury at an amusement park, you need to report it before leaving the park and seek medical attention immediately.

Contact an Experienced Amusement Park Accident Attorney

Amusement parks are an entertaining venue for families to enjoy. You shouldn’t have to worry about the safety of your family while visiting one. If you or a loved one has been injured or killed in an amusement park ride, contact Beninato & Matrafajlo Attorneys at Law for a free consultation. Our experienced personal injury lawyers can help you seek compensation for your injuries and suffering.

Dan T. Matrafajlo

Dan T. Matrafajlo

NJ State Bar #: 031722003

Dan T. Matrafajlo, Esq., is the managing member and lead partner at Beninato and Matrafajlo, Attorneys at Law, LLC. Renowned for groundbreaking contributions to personal injury law, he has set legal precedents with influential Appellate decisions and garnered recognition in the New Jersey Law Journal. A consistent honoree on Super Lawyers' Rising Star list for the past five years, Matrafajlo's litigation prowess is widely acknowledged. He has won various awards like Super Lawyers, Thomson Reuters Association 2019, and Nominated into Super Lawyers as a Rising Star from 2012 until the Present.

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