Recently, a video of a Dallas man falling off the side of a water slide went viral. Because of his accident, he sustained a broken arm, several broken ribs, sustained lacerations, cuts, and bruises. While he did not suffer any permanent harm, his accident highlights that during the summer months accidents at amusement parks and water parks pose a danger to families and individuals out to have a good time.
Type of Injuries from Amusement Park Rides and Water Park Slides
When you are at an amusement park or water park you know that you will be waiting in lines. After you have waited in however long of a line there was you will often sit on a ride or on a water slide and listen to a brief speech by the ride operator instructing you on safety while you are on the ride. In addition, it is very common for attendants to come around and check to make sure you are securely fastened in. However, despite these seemingly exhaustive precautions, there are still injuries that happen every day.
Some of the most common injuries were the result of:
- Equipment failure
- Operator error
- Failure to warn of known hazards
If you or a loved one has been in an accident at a water park, it is imperative to contact an experienced Arkansas water park injury attorney today.
In addition to these reasons why an accident might happen there are various injuries, which are common to amusement park riders and water park patrons including the following:
- Fractures to arms, legs or extremities
- Lacerations
- Head injuries
- Sprains to arms, legs or extremities
- Contusions
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) compiled a report on waterpark injuries and surprisingly found that despite safety measures and safety devices continually improving that injuries were actually increasing as opposed to decreasing. In 2009, there were a documented 3,779 injuries, which required water park patrons to go to an emergency room. However this number increased to 5,200 by 2011.
Claims Against a Water Park or Amusement Park
Suffering an injury at a water park or amusement park often is traumatic and requires prompt medical care and treatment. In the event that you or someone you know has been injured while attending either an amusement park or a water park you may be entitled to follow any one of the following cases:
- Slip and fall – a slip and fall accident generally involves a person losing their balance and falling because of a substance or object that was left on the ground.
- Negligence – negligence is the most common reason why a person will file a lawsuit. In these, case an injured party will have to prove that the defendant owed them a duty of care, that they breached their duty of care, because of this breach they were injured, and that they suffered some quantifiable damage as a result of their accident.
- Wrongful death – in the sad and tragic event that a family member or loved one dies as a result of an accident at an amusement or water park, you may be entitled to file a wrongful death action on their behalf.
- Defective products – Most often injuries occur at an amusement park or water park because the apparatus is defective. It is very concerning to learn that in many of these cases the park or the employees knew that the product was not in the proper condition and chose to have riders on the ride. However, in some instances, they may be unaware of the defect and therefore you would have a claim against the manufacturer of the product.
In the event that someone you know or yourself has been injured while at a waterpark or amusement park, then you may be able to file any one of the aforementioned cases. As your water park injury attorney will tell you, filing a case against the facility you were injured at may allow you to recover for some of the money you lost and will lose as a result of your accident.
Rely on Experienced Arkansas Personal Injury Attorney Ken Kieklak
If you have suffered a slip and fall injury, contact a Fayetteville AR personal injury lawyer at the Law Practice of Ken Kieklak. We stand up for Arkansans who have suffered a catastrophic injury or wrongful death. To schedule your free and confidential consultation call (479) 316-0438 or contact us online.