Waterpark injury lawyers present some important information on the frequency and severity of waterpark injuries. The World Waterpark Association says that there are about 1,000 waterparks around the world. These water amusement parks attract around 80 million people each year.
Everyone loves waterparks and the fun and relief from the heat that they represent. But waterparks are also dangerous. Despite substantially lower numbers of visitors compared to major theme parks like Disney and Six Flags, waterparks result in the highest number of injuries of any type of amusement or theme park. Roller coasters and flume rides come in a fairly distant second.
A major reason for the larger number of injuries, and the severity of injuries, from waterpark accidents is the high velocity a waterpark guest can attain while rushing down a waterslide. Waterslides generate the highest number of waterpark injuries and fatalities. Wave pools generate the second highest.
Someone careening down a water slide can attain a velocity approaching 40 miles per hour. That’s sufficient force to crush cervical vertebrae or break open a skull on impact with a solid object like the side of the slide, another patron, the poolside, or the bottom of a pool.
A medical study in the Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine looked at spinal cord injuries from waterpark accidents. The study found that cervical spine injuries were the most common result of waterpark accidents. A majority of these resulted from patrons sliding head-first down waterslides. The accident injuries were almost always irreversible. And more than 90% of these injuries resulted in quadriplegia and enormous subsequent medical costs to the victim, his family, and society.
Other medical studies on waterpark injuries have found injuries associated with:
1. Tight turns on waterslides,
2. Rough edges or surfaces on the waterslides,
3. Slippery surfaces that enhance velocity going down a waterslide,
4. Exposed seams on waterslides that can cause lacerations, and
5. Uncovered intake drains in waterpark pools.
If you or a family member have been injured in a waterpark accident, there are steps you need to take to protect your legal rights and preserve your eligibility for fair financial compensation. Contact our waterpark injury lawyers today at Denena & Points for a free consultation about your accident. If you have questions, we have answers.