Thousands of people in Long Beach and across California are likely excited to get out and have fun after months of lockdowns and social distancing. Amusement parks and roller coasters are associated with fun summer activities. However, nobody’s safety is guaranteed, and thousands of visitors suffer serious and even fatal injuries each year.
Injury types most frequently reported
The following serious injuries can be associated with amusement parks, water parks and roller coasters:
- Back, neck and head injuries
- Potentially deadly falls
- Torn major neck artery
- Brain aneurysms
- Traumatic brain injuries and concussion
- Paralysis
- Bumper car and go-kart injuries like lacerations
- Fractured bones
- Torn ligaments
- Drowning deaths in the wave pool
- Water slide injuries
- Injuries caused by inflatable devices like inner tubes
- Roller coaster malfunctions or defects involving lap bars, doors and restraining harnesses
Standard of care requirements
All rides should have employees present to perform various tasks. These include routine safety inspections and checks, operating the rides safely, ensuring riders are adequately restrained and more. Furthermore, supervisors must ensure all jobs are performed at a reasonable standard of care. Any failures in this respect could risk visitors’ lives.
Victims of amusement park injuries might need ongoing medical care, physical therapy or other long-term treatment that could lead to radical life changes. Mobility limitations, paralysis, brain injury, amputations, or disfigurement and scarring could become part of a victim’s life. Furthermore, mental trauma could be even more severe than physical injuries, often requiring lifelong treatment.
Legal rights
Victims of amusement park, water park or roller coaster injuries might be entitled to pursue financial relief by filing a premises liability lawsuit in a California civil court. It is a complicated field of the law, but the successful navigation of such a claim might result in a monetary judgment to cover current and future financial and emotional losses.