Personal Injury - Burnes Libman

Theme Park Accident Lawyer

The Roller Coaster Accident at Cedar Point, Ohio: The Scary Incident that Left a Woman Hospitalized

On August 15th, 2021, the unspeakable happened at Ohio’s Cedar Point amusement park. At approximately 4:30 PM, a woman waiting in line at the park's popular "Top Thrill Dragster" roller coaster was struck by massive falling debris.

The park said the ride was ending its run when a "metal object" detached from one of the cars and hit the woman. One witness said the object that hit her head was the size of a basketball. The person injured was taken to a local medical center for treatment. Her condition is not known.

A day at the amusement park is supposed to be full of wonderful family memories for kids and parents to look back on decades down the road. However, mistakes, mismanagement, or downright recklessness can transform what should be a happy day into a horrible tragedy. According to CNN, approximately thirty-thousand amusement park-related injuries happen every year, like the over sixty people sickened by toxic chemicals at a Texas amusement park in 2021.

Frequency of Amusement Ride Injuries

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission analyzed the injuries on common amusement rides. It determined that twenty-one percent of injuries occurred on fixed rides in amusement or theme parks, sixteen percent occurred on mobile rides such as those at fairs, twenty percent occurred on inflatable rides such as the bouncy castles popular at children’s birthday parties, twenty-two percent occurred on the coin-operated rides like the ones outside of grocery stores.

Every year, approximately 1,035 people will be injured on an amusement ride. Between 2003 and 2013, the Consumer Product Safety Commission recorded twelve deaths on inflatable rides.

Laws Addressing Amusement Park Safety

In response to high-profile amusement park deaths, some states have passed more stringent inspection requirements.

A good example of this trend is Ohio’s Tyler’s Law. In 2017, Tyler Jarrell attended the Ohio State Fair with his family. That night, he rode the Fire Ball with his girlfriend. While the ride spun it broke apart into pieces spraying debris across the fair and sending Tyler flying resulting in his death. In response to this tragedy, Ohio passed a law increasing restrictions on amusement ride operators and requiring more inspections.

Similarly, Kansas passed a law following the tragic death of a young boy on a waterslide.

Picking the Right Theme Park Accident Lawyer

In over thirty years of handling a variety of personal injury cases, we see a clear and present danger at amusement parks failing to inspect their rides thoroughly each and every year.

Unfortunately, there are a variety of unsafe practices that can and have led to theme park accidents in the United States, including:

Mechanical failure of the ride
Improper operation of the ride
Passenger misuse or failure to follow instructions
Nature of the ride

Similar experiences have helped us recover millions of dollars in settlements in personal injury lawsuits for our clients. Legislation to come as close as we can through written rules, and litigation to punish those who do not exercise due care.

When to See a Lawyer and Pursue Litigation

If you have been involved in a theme park accident incident, you need to find a lawyer as soon as possible. Amusement parks do not have your best interests in mind, which is why it’s so important to start the claims process as quickly and early as possible. It is difficult to determine liability at the beginning stages, and Burnes Libman is there to help you determine if litigation is a possibility with our free consultation.

If you or a loved one have been injured in a theme park accident, you may be entitled to compensation for your medical bills, lost earnings or wages, pain, and suffering, disability, or disfigurement. As each case is different and subject to a specific time limit (or statute of limitations), it is important to consult with a reputable and experienced personal injury attorney as soon as possible.

To contact Burnes Libman for your free case evaluation, call (312) 726-6500 or fill out our Get In Touch form below.

Contact Burnes Libman, Chicago’s Best Theme Park Accident Law Firm

The experience at Burnes Libman is different than any other law firm. With over thirty years of experience, Burnes Libman has successfully blended the extensive legal expertise found in large law firms with smaller law firms’ compassion and personal attention. We will fight for compensation for your theme park accident injury. That’s our promise.

For a free consultation regarding your truck accident case, contact us immediately below or call (312) 726-6500.