California Personal Injury Lawyers Blog
A California personal injury lawsuit was recently filed against Knott’s Berry Farm for several individuals that have been injured while riding the log ride at the theme park. The suit claims that improper maintenance of the ride was the cause of the injuries. One of the individuals involved in this lawsuit is a six-year-old child that had fractured his eye socket on the ride when it came to an abrupt halt after the final drop. The lawsuit notes that this injury is not an isolated occurrence, but that this ride has caused similar injuries in at least 10 other theme park guests.
The Los Angeles Times reports that California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health investigated this particular log ride for nine injuries reported on the ride between 2010 and 2012. These reports include injuries to the passengers including cuts around the eye and teeth that have been chipped from the force. As a result of these reports, an investigation was performed in 2015 by the California Department of Industrial Relations that found that there was a device in the ride that was not working correctly. Typically this device would monitor the level of water in the ride. Due to this maintenance problem, the park had to make the necessary repairs and had to pay inspection fees.
On this ride, if there’s too much water at the bottom of the drop at the end, the logs carrying guests slow down sharply. If there’s too little water, the log will skip across the water and hit the side of the chute. Not having a restraint system involved to stop people’s faces from smashing into the padded back of the seats is also claimed in the suit.
Potential Legal Claims After Amusement Park Ride Injuries
Amusement park accidents can result in catastrophic injuries or wrongful deaths. There are several different legal claims that can be made after you’re injured on an amusement park ride. The suit here is alleging negligence on the part of Knott’s Berry Farm.
Negligence claims often occur when the injury has occurred due to inattention or carelessness on the part of the theme park or an employee of the park. This could be from a maintenance worker not doing something for the upkeep of the ride, a ride operator not following safety guidelines, a park not inspecting their rides, or employees not instructing riders on the rules of the ride.
Have you or a loved one been injured on an amusement park ride? You have legal options available to you that can help compensate you for your injuries, and more. California is full of amusement parks that, while entertaining, can also be dangerous. At Walch Law, we can help you with your amusement park personal injury claim. Give us a call today and let’s get started.