Millions of tourists visit Central Florida’s world-renowned theme parks, nearby beaches, resorts, outdoor activities, and top cruising ports each year, making Orlando one of the top vacation destinations in the world. While most vacations are filled with magic, sometimes things don’t go as planned. While rare, theme park accidents and injuries happen, making you go home with some unexpected souvenirs: mounting medical bills, pain, and doctor appointments. Seeking compensation for these injuries may feel intimidating, especially when you live out of state. However, theme park operators should be held accountable if their negligent actions result in injuries. Below, our theme park injury lawyer discusses what you need to know about filing a claim after being injured at a theme park.
Common Causes of Theme Park Injuries
Here are the top causes of theme park accidents that cause injuries:
Reckless Behavior
From physical altercations to fender-benders in the parking lot, guest negligence or inappropriate behavior causes many theme park accidents and injuries.
Improper Maintenance
Failing to maintain an attraction or other park experience is one of the top causes of theme park injuries. Attractions must be regularly inspected and repaired to ensure the ride’s safety, looking for hazards such as broken seat belt buckles, unstable equipment, faulty electrical systems, and mechanical failures. Walking areas and pedestrian paths should also have similar maintenance checks and inspections from park staff.
Rider Error
Sometimes, your own actions may have contributed to the accident. However, it’s not always within your capability to avoid the accident. You may not be able to adhere to a ride operator’s guidelines for many reasons, such as language barriers or hearing problems. Riders may strive to comply with safety protocols, but ride operators fail to perform proper safety checks before the attraction is in motion. Riders may also not be aware of physical restrictions for rides, such as height and weight requirements.
Failure to Comply with Safety Regulations
The FDACS provides safety guidelines that permanent amusement park attractions must follow. These standards require theme parks to renew permits each year and have safety inspections every six months. Ride operators must follow specific guidelines to ensure rider safety, such as:
- Banning major ride modifications after the ride is in operation
- Standardizing rider operator training
- Posting height, weight, and age restrictions for applicable rides
- Documenting accidents that result in urgent care visits or hospitalizations.
These guidelines only apply to permanent structures at theme parks with more than 1,000 employees. Larger theme parks must have on-site inspectors to ensure the quality of each attraction.
Transportation
Getting to and from the parks is one of the most common places for injuries. Many theme parks offer a variety of methods to travel between parks, such as boats, buses, parking trams, and monorails. Accessible in-park transportation, such as ECVs, can also cause accidents.
Who’s Responsible for Paying Medical Bills if You’re Injured at a Theme Park?
If you can prove that the theme park acted negligently and directly caused your injury, you may be able to recover compensation. Determining who pays for your medical bills after a theme park injury is challenging. That’s why it’s important to seek the guidance of a theme park injury lawyer to help represent you and recover the damages you’re entitled to after your accident.
What Should You Do After Being Injured at a Theme Park?
Seeking medical treatment immediately is essential whenever an accident occurs. Many theme parks are well-equipped with first aid stations and on-site nurses to provide preliminary assessments. It’s important to seek medical treatment even if you feel fine after the accident, as it may take several days before you feel the full scope of your injuries. Report the incident to theme park staff and ensure a formal report is written. You should also request a copy of the report. Gather evidence as much as possible at the scene, such as pictures or videos of the ride and environmental conditions that contributed to the accident. Then, contact a theme park injury lawyer like Brett M. Bressler to represent you. Do not speak with theme park management or sign anything from the theme park before speaking with a lawyer.
How to File a Claim After a Theme Park Injury
If you are injured at a theme park in Florida, you must file a claim for compensation in Florida, too. However, you don’t need to be in Florida to file your claim. That’s why it’s essential to work with a Central Florida theme park injury lawyer who’s experienced in representing tourists and theme park guests from around the world. An experienced attorney can help navigate the theme parks’ methods to dismiss legitimate claims, such as noting the liability waiver on the back of theme park tickets and not adhering to posted warning signs.
Brett M. Bressler, Theme Park Injury Attorney in Central Florida
We have represented several injured theme park guests throughout the country and the world. We can help you receive the compensation you’re entitled to for your injury due to the park’s negligence, even when you followed all the guidelines and rules. If you’ve been injured at a theme park, it’s essential to contact a theme park injury attorney as soon as possible. You must file your claim within two years of the accident to file a lawsuit and be eligible for compensation. Contact the Law Office of Brett M. Bressler at 407-599-2002 or schedule a consultation online to discuss your case and see how we can help you recover from your theme park injury.
