Time and time again the question of amusement park safety arises after a tragic incident takes the life of an unsuspecting victim. In the news, a 14-year-old girl was left dangling 25 feet in the air after some unknown mishap occurred during her sky ride at a Six Flags park. While the International Association of Amusement Park and Attractions estimates that the chances of injury on an amusement park ride is a mere 1 in 16 million, it is no consolation to those who are tragically injured or fatally killed in an accident. If you or your loved one has been injured in an amusement park accident in West Virginia, you should speak with an experienced personal injury attorney to determine your rights to relief. For a risk-free initial consultation, contact Colombo Law today.
Limited Regulations
Proving negligence in amusement park cases is a tricky endeavor. In most cases, determining negligence is complicated because liability for negligence requires a failure to conform to a specific standard of care. This is difficult because there is no federal authority that governs amusement parks and enforces the safety of rides. The passing of federal legislation that would create regulations and require oversight has long been the subject of debate. Despite several attempts at passing legislation to allow uniformity, all measures have failed. Therefore, it is largely left up to each state to create and enforce the rules for parks located with the state.
Causes of Amusement Park Accidents
Accidents at amusement parks occur for a variety of reasons. The most common causes of amusement park accidents include:
- Malfunctions: When attractions malfunction, it creates the potential for a disaster. Each year, most park officials test the rides and perform any necessary maintenance. However, this never guarantees that a ride will always function as intended. In fact, rides frequently close and reopen each week because of mishaps discovered while the ride has occupants.
- Failure to Comply with Restrictions: Most rides have height and weight restrictions. These restrictions are put in place to ensure the safety of all occupants. However, there have been instances when park officials bend the rules and allow individuals who are below the recommended height or above a certain weight onto a ride. While this may provide riders a few seconds of fun, the significant risk of injury is not worth the momentary lapse in judgement.
Contact Colombo Law
The Colombo Law firm is located in Morgantown, West Virginia. We are highly experienced personal injury lawyers who successfully handle hundreds of personal injury claims each year, obtaining justice and monetary relief for our clients.
Colombo Law assists clients located in and around West Virginia including in Morgantown, Fairmont, Clarksburg, Bridgeport, Kingwood, Grafton, Weston, Philippi, Buckhannon, Elkins, Parkersburg, Monongalia, Marion, Harrison, Preston, Taylor, and Lewis county. If you have been injured in an accident or incident but are unsure of whether you have a personal injury claim, contact Colombo Law today for a risk-free initial consultation to get you or your loved one the assistance you deserve.
