A trip to a carnival or amusement park is supposed to be a fun experience. Ideally, you would enjoy some cotton candy, win a stuffed animal in a Skeeball game, and go on a few rides before you head home. Unfortunately, not all visits to carnivals or amusement parks end happily. Every year, there are multiple reports of people being severely injured or killed by carnival and amusement park rides. Roller coaster accidents appear to be the most common, but it is possible for injuries to result from any type of carnival or amusement park ride.
Amusement park accidents can have many different causes. Some accidents are caused by a mechanical failure in the rides themselves, while others can be attributed to operator error. Sometimes, an accident has multiple contributing factors.
Accidents that involve multiple visitors or that result in a death receive the most media attention, but there are many other incidents that the general public is often not aware of. For example, in August 2011, a carnival operator was arrested in Connoquenessing Township, Pennsylvania for operating a ride called the Ring of Fire while he was intoxicated. In October 2011, six people suffered minor injuries at a carnival in South Carolina after a part of a ride called the Bonsai broke off and sent debris flying through the air. In November 2011, a four-year-old boy from Louisiana sustained serious injuries after a state fair employee accidentally left a ride powered and idling as passengers were being unloaded.
People who have suffered injuries at a carnival or amusement park frequently seek the assistance of amusement park accident lawyers. Even if you have excellent medical insurance, you may still encounter bills from your injury that must be paid out of pocket. In addition to insurance co-pays and deductibles, for example, you may also have expenses relating to lost wages or traveling to physical therapy appointments.
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