Amusement parks can be a great way to spend time with your young children. However, the park staff must ensure that they follow age, height, and other requirements to protect children from harm, and the park must maintain their rides to keep kids safe.
Unfortunately, this is not always the case, and serious injuries can occur as a result. Roller-coaster accidents are one of the leading causes of injury or fatality each year. While most injuries caused by rides big and small come from patrons who have not been appropriately trained, it is those who have been carelessly and recklessly riding coasters responsible for the majority of the fatalities and injuries that occur every year. Many of these victims are merely playing or playing on their own accord, unaware that they were being charged with dangerous activities. Coaster accident lawsuits Alpharetta seek to hold those accountable for their actions.
In most roller coaster accident lawsuits in the courts, it is found that the individual charged with the incident did not receive any training or caution about the potential danger that is present on the rides. This lack of training or knowledge creates an enormous amount of danger for the rider. For example, it is common for toddlers, youth, and teens not to be aware of the amount of force on any particular seat in a coaster. All it takes is one misstep, and the individual can be injured severely. Even a slight misstep can cause the individual to be slammed into the seat they were riding. The results of such injuries are often disastrous and leave behind permanent damage, which can be difficult if not impossible to repair.
Another element that causes many of these accidents is the individual’s negligence in maintaining proper safety protocol. Many of the coaster operators do not use the proper equipment designed to keep patrons safe. Some of these devices can be particularly dangerous for those who have limited mobility or cannot properly grip the handles or armrests. By failing to utilize such devices, the individual can sustain serious injuries due to a freak accident.
Causes of Amusement Park Accidents
According to U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reports, the most common causes of amusement park accidents include mechanical failures, operator behavior, and consumer behavior.
If your child has been injured at an amusement park, three types of law may apply – negligence, premises liability, and product liability law. Several factors may be involved, and various responsible parties could be liable for your child’s injury. Thus, you must seek immediate help from an experienced child injury attorney.
The “Roller Coaster Loophole”
The “Roller Coaster Loophole” refers to wording added to the Consumer Product Safety Act in 1981 that prevents federal safety experts from investigating fixed-site roller coaster accidents. This means that any amusement ride that is permanently attached to the ground is subject to state regulation. Mobile amusement rides, however, are subject to federal regulation. Oftentimes you will find that fixed-site amusement ride regulations are often overlooked due to oversight from state officials.