Summer fun at amusement parks and water parks can turn into a nightmare when accidents happen. If you or your child got hurt at a theme park, you might wonder if you can take legal action. The short answer is: it depends on what caused the injury.
You may have a case if the park was careless or didn’t follow safety rules. Parks have a responsibility to keep visitors safe, and when they fail to do so, they can be held accountable for injuries that result from their negligence.
When Ride Malfunctions Lead to Injuries
Ride malfunctions are one of the most serious causes of amusement park injuries. When rides break down due to poor maintenance, mechanical failures, or design flaws, visitors can suffer severe injuries. Parks must regularly inspect and fix their rides according to strict safety standards.
If a park skips maintenance, ignores warning signs of problems, or fails to properly train operators, they become responsible for any injuries that occur. These cases often involve serious accidents like people falling from rides, being thrown from seats, or getting caught in moving parts that should have been properly maintained.
Safety Procedure Failures
Theme parks have detailed safety rules for good reasons, and when workers don’t follow these procedures, accidents happen. This includes failing to check height requirements, not securing safety bars properly, or allowing too many people on a ride at once. These mistakes can turn a fun experience into a dangerous situation.
Inadequately trained staff members pose another major risk to park visitors. When employees don’t know how to operate rides safely or respond to emergencies, their mistakes can cause serious harm. Parks are responsible for properly training their workers and ensuring they follow all safety protocols.
Dangerous Property Conditions
Parks must keep their property safe for the thousands of visitors who come through their gates each day. This means fixing broken walkways and stairs, cleaning up spills quickly, putting up warning signs for hazards, and making sure all areas are properly maintained and lit.
Water parks face additional challenges with wet surfaces that can become extremely slippery. They must ensure proper drainage, use non-slip materials where appropriate, and maintain safe conditions around pools, slides, and changing areas. When parks fail to address these hazards, slip and fall accidents become much more likely.
Water Park Specific Dangers
Water parks have their own unique set of risks that require special attention to safety. Pool areas can become overcrowded, leading to accidents when too many people are in the water at once. Chemical imbalances in pools can cause burns or breathing problems, while inadequate lifeguard coverage can result in drowning incidents.
Slide malfunctions present serious dangers, especially when high-speed slides malfunction or when multiple riders collide due to improper timing systems. Water park operators must carefully monitor slide conditions, ensure proper spacing between riders, and maintain all equipment to prevent these potentially catastrophic accidents.
Common Types of Injuries
Amusement park and water park accidents can result in a wide range of injuries, from minor cuts and bruises to life-changing trauma. Some of the most common injuries include:
- Broken bones and fractures from falls or ride malfunctions
- Head and brain injuries from being thrown or struck by equipment
- Spinal cord damage that can lead to paralysis
- Severe cuts from sharp edges or broken equipment
- Drowning and near-drowning incidents at water parks
- Chemical burns from improperly maintained pool systems
These injuries often require extensive medical treatment, multiple surgeries, and long-term rehabilitation. The financial burden can be overwhelming for families already dealing with the emotional trauma of a serious accident.
Steps to Take After an Injury
If you get hurt at an amusement park or water park, your actions in the immediate aftermath can significantly impact any potential legal case. First and most importantly, get medical attention right away, even if your injuries seem minor at first. Some serious injuries don’t show symptoms immediately.
Make sure to report the accident to park management and insist that they document everything in writing. Take pictures of the scene, your injuries, and any equipment that may have caused the accident. Get contact information from witnesses who saw what happened, and keep detailed records of all medical treatment you receive.
Understanding Your Case’s Value
Every personal injury case is unique, and the value depends on many factors including the severity of your injuries and how they’ve affected your life. You may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, both current and future, as well as wages lost from missing work while you recover.
Beyond financial losses, you may also recover money for pain and suffering, especially if you’re dealing with permanent disabilities or disfigurement. Cases involving children often include compensation for how injuries might affect their future opportunities and quality of life.
Why Legal Representation Matters
Theme park companies employ experienced lawyers whose job is to minimize what they pay to injured visitors. Without proper legal representation, you’re at a significant disadvantage when dealing with these companies and their insurance providers. An experienced personal injury lawyer understands how these cases work and can level the playing field.
Your lawyer will investigate the accident thoroughly, gather evidence that the park was negligent, and handle all communications with insurance companies. Most personal injury attorneys work on contingency fees, meaning you don’t pay attorney fees unless you win your case.
Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Dedicated Team Today
Time limits for filing lawsuits exist in every state, and in New Mexico, you typically have three years from the injury date to file a case. However, waiting too long can hurt your case because evidence disappears, witnesses move away or forget details, and your memories of the incident may fade.
Contact Dominguez Law today for your free consultation. Call us at (505) 850-5854 or fill out our online contact form. We’re here to fight for the compensation you deserve – and you don’t pay unless we win your case.
