Injured at an Amusement Park?

Coral Gables Injury Attorney for You

Amusement parks and theme parks provide endless entertainment for park patrons; popular parks include Disney World, Six Flags and Universal Studios. Depending on the type of park, it will be full of rides, games and shows. Some theme parks are thrill-based, and are known for their terrifying roller coasters while others are more simplistic. The truth of the matter is that accidents can happen at any type of theme park. When park staff and managers fail to properly secure and maintain the premises, park visitors can be seriously hurt and even killed. A personal injury lawyer in Coral Gables can review your accident and determine if negligence was at play. From there, a legal case can begin.

Dissecting the Rule, "You Must Be This Tall to Ride"

In order to prevent accidents from occurring at theme parks, the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions was formed. The safety standards they issue for theme parks worldwide are listed in the American Standards for Testing and Materials. This was established before the dawn of the 20th century and encompasses a vast array of regulations relating to park building materials, the products they use, and other systems. The next major regulation to the amusement park industry came in 1978 with the Committee on Amusement Rides and Devices. The most recent change came in 2003 with expanded ride design standard that re-defined safe G-force limits.

Theme parks commonly include thrill rides such as roller coasters and free fall rides, train rides, water rides and transportation services such as trollies and trams. Since there are so many types of rides and attractions at Florida theme parks, there are many standards that parks must adhere to. When they do not, they incur safety violations, fines and possible criminal liability. This will all depend on the results of an accident investigation. The major cause for accidents at amusement parks is park liability, rather than personal liability. Even if a rider was not riding properly, it is likely because a park attendant was not properly supervising the situation. When a visitor is injured at an amusement park, it becomes an issue of premises liability since the individual was injured on the property of another.

Notable Theme Park Accidents

Between the years 2005 to 2006, Disney World reported that there were four deaths and 19 injuries that took place at its Florida parks. Many of these accidents involved the park's famous monorail system while others included rides such as the Kali River Rapids and the Primeval Whirl. While some of these accidents were caused by the negligence of the guest or by natural causes, many of them are caused by the negligence of the ride operators or maintenance crews.

In the summer months of 2011, Universal Orlando reported two separate incidents of tourists being injured by unidentified objects hitting them in the face. Investigations led the park to believe that the injuries were resulting from the two rides being operated at the same time. Many of the worst accidents occur at independently owned theme parks where regulations are not as heavily monitored.

Need a personal injury lawyer in Coral Gables?

You can absolutely sue an amusement park for injuries that you or a loved one sustained while you were at the premises, provided that you have a valid claim. To learn if you have a valid claim, you should speak with an injury attorney from Mesa Law Firm. The theme park may be attempting to shift liability onto you or you may be facing some other difficulty in getting the care that you deserve.

If you were injured at a Miami-Dade County theme park or any other amusement park throughout the State of Florida, contact our firm for a free consultation.