Personal Injuries And Amusement Parks
For most people, Florida is the capital of Amusement parks. After all, the state is home to a huge number of amusement parks from Universal Studios to Busch Gardens, there are plenty of places to have fun in Florida. But sometimes, accidents occur and injuries that happen in an amusement park range from minor to very severe.
When someone is injured in an amusement park, it’s often confusing as to just who is to blame or whether or not litigation can be pursued. As such, talking to a personal injury lawyer is always the best course of action. However, taking the time to learn just a bit about how personal injury cases relate to amusement parks can help you have a clearer idea about what to expect when you contact a lawyer and begin the process of seeking compensation for your injuries.
When Do You Have A Case?
The first thing to understand is simply whether or not you have the right to pursue legal action to gain financial compensation for your injuries. First of all, amusement parks do have reasonable risk on their side. Essentially, you understand that some risks are inherent in various rides at a park – a fact made all the more apparent by the large signage that points out each specific risk of each ride. But that doesn’t mean that you’re responsible for your own injuries all of the time. If it can be shown that something related to negligence or recklessness was the cause of the accident – and that you had no knowledge of those added risks – you could seek compensation. Some examples of this include:- A park employee who fails to ensure that they’ve properly inspected a ride.
- An employee who doesn’t secure all safety restraints properly.
- A park manager that is aware of a risky situation and chooses to ignore it – a ride related issue or even a loose handrail, for example.
Settlement Amounts In Amusement Park Personal Injury Cases
As with any other type of personal injury case, a number of different things will go into the process of determining what a fair settlement amount is. Courts will look at numerous points including:- Medical bills
- Future medical bills
- Lost wages
- Future lost wages related to the injuries
- Pain and suffering
Summation
Simply put, injuries will happen in amusement parks. In fact, roughly 9,000 of them happen every year. But most of those injuries will never lead to legal action simply because of the inherent risks associated with theme parks and the excitement that goes on within them. But, if your injuries were directly caused through negligence or recklessness, or if they are due to risks that you weren’t informed of or that you couldn’t have reasonably understood, you may be able to seek restitution for the injuries that you sustained. Speaking with a personal injury lawyer could help you understand more about what options you have available and whether or not you can start the process of getting your financial stability back.Brian O. Sutter has been Board Certified in Florida Workers’ Compensation since 1990 and re-certified in 1995, 2000, 2005, 2010 and 2015.