Cedar Point Shoot the Rapids Water Ride Capsizes, Injuring 7 Riders

On Friday, several amusement park guests were trapped in the water when their boat rolled backwards at the first hill on the Shoot the Rapids water ride at Cedar Point and overturned. Our water ride injury lawyers point out that the riders were belted into the boat, which trapped them underwater when the boat overturned. Park police, ride operators, medical technicians, and even other park visitors entered the water to help free the trapped riders. 7 people were injured in theShoot the Rapids water ride accident, including one person who was taken to a regional medical center for treatment.

The water ride accident occurred at Cedar Point amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio. For 15 years in a row, Cedar Point has been rated the best amusement park in the world. The park was closed after the accident so that park officials and state inspectors could evaluate the ride and investigate what caused the boat to roll backwards and overturn. (Source: KTRK ABC 13, 7/20/13)

The water ride injury lawyers at Denena Points, PC wish the riders involved in the Shoot the Rapids accident swift and complete recoveries from their injuries.

About a Similar Water Ride Accident and a Fatal Ride Accident on Friday

Our water ride injury lawyers note that the Cedar Rapids boat accident wasn’t the only amusement park accident to occur on Friday. At Six Flags amusement park in Arlington, Texas, Rosy Esparza fell from the 14-story tall Texas Giant roller coaster and died. Members of her family were also on the ride at the time of the tragic accident.

Six Flags in Arlington was the scene of a previous fatal accident in 1999 when 10 people were injured and one woman drowned on a boat that overturned in the Roaring Rapids ride. That accident had eerie similarities to the Cedar Point Shoot the Rapids accident on Friday. Fortunately, the Cedar Point water ride accident resulted in no severe or fatal injuries.

Relative Rate of Serious and Fatal Injuries at U.S. Amusement Parks

The IAAPA (an amusement park industry organization) helps conduct and promulgate the results of a voluntary Fixed-Site Amusement Ride Injury Survey. Our amusement ride injury attorneys note that the ride industry organization has a natural interest in minimizing the impact of serious and fatal amusement ride accidents on the public.

According to the IAAPA survey, in 2011, about 297 million guests visited 400 U.S. amusement parks and rode around 1.7 billion rides. 1,415 ride-related injuries were reported (and the amusement ride injury attorneys at Denena Points, PC note that not all parks are required to report injuries).

Ride Injuries that Require Hospitalization do Occur on a Regular Basis

Of the reported injuries in 2011, 61 were said to require at least an overnight hospital stay. According to the IAAPA data, your chances of being seriously injured on an amusement park ride are around 1 in 24 million. Your chances of being killed on such a ride are more than 1 in 75 million. But of course if you become the statistic, those numbers are no comfort to you or your family.

The IAAPA and the National Safety Council established the survey for fixed-site amusement rides to help reassure riders regarding the safety of amusement rides after a series of high profile accidents. Our amusement ride injury attorneys do note that the amusement rides are fairly safe statistically. It’s just that when serous accidents do occur, they often tend to very ugly and/or fatal.

The IAAPA report comes out each fall. Our amusement ride injury attorneys emphasize that the report only covers fixed-site amusement parks, not the traveling carnivals that have to disassemble and reassemble the rides each time they move sites. We mention that after each rebuild, the rides should be tested for safety. But whether they are tested or not depends on individual states’ inspection and safety requirements.

So, if you are going to a carnival, you might want to check your state’s amusement ride safety requirements and whether the individual carnival has complied with those requirements.

Download your FREE guide to Help Keep You or Your Child Safe on Roller Coasters and Other Rides

Click the book icon on this page to download your free guide. If you have questions about a particular ride injury, contact our amusement ride injury attorneys at Denena Points, PC for a FREE, no obligation initial legal consultation. We’re among the few attorneys nationwid4e with actual, successful experience with ride accidents. Contact us at 281-369-4363 or reach us by filling out our online contact form. Put our more than 12 years of complex personal injury experience to work for your benefit.

How Safe are U.S. Amusement Park Rides?

There is no federal regulatory authority governing amusement park ride safety. Our amusement ride injury lawyers note that the U.S. Congress took away the authority formerly held by the CPSC to oversee ride safety in 1981. So regulation and inspection of amusement park rides is left to state authorities. But only 44 of the 50 states actually regulate the rides.

Wyoming, Utah, South Dakota, Alabama, Mississippi, and Nevada do not regulate amusement park ride safety. To be fair, Wyoming doesn’t have any amusement parks, so it probably doesn’t need to regulate such rides. In other states, some of the amusement parks are left to inspect and regulate their own rides. For instance, Florida lets the largest of the theme parks self-regulate amusement park ride safety.

How do Amusement Park Ride Safety Precautions Work?

Modern rides for the most part rely on computerized technology that generally won’t set a ride in motion unless all the safety restraints are properly latched and the track is clear. But our amusement ride injury lawyers point out that computer glitches can happen with ride technology as with other programs. And older or smaller rides might still depend on the ride operator’s attention and visual inspection.

Many ride accidents are attributed to mechanical failure or operator inattention. And many ride operators are young and inexperienced. So if you notice that a ride operator looks inattentive or bored, don’t get on.

What Governs Ride Safety Standards?

Amusement park standards, which remain voluntary, are set by the F-24 Committee of ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) International. The F-24 Committee includes amusement park operators, ride manufacturers, industry suppliers, consumer advocates, and government officials. The voluntary standards include guidance on ride inspections, maintenance, design, manufacture, testing, and quality assurance. And our amusement ride injury lawyers also note that individual ride manufacturers also issue specific guidance regarding age and height restrictions, maintenance, and occasionally recall information.

Some safety advocates have called for a federal regulation and inspection scheme to cover amusement park rides. But there’s no guarantee that the additional regulation would much improve safety. Mechanical glitches, flawed ride designs, operator errors, and rider horseplay could still cause serious or deadly accidents.

The amusement ride injury lawyers at Denena Points, PC emphasize that safety still rests in part with the rider. Be aware of safety concerns when you go to an amusement park. Read and obey posted warnings and instructions, as well as park or ride operator verbal announcements. Avoid any rides that look dilapidated or where the operator looks inattentive. Obey age, height, and medical restrictions. And don’t drink alcohol or engage in horseplay on or around the rides.

Learn how to keep your family safe on amusement park roller coasters. Download our free guide to roller coaster safety.

6 Important Facts to Know about U.S. Childhood Injuries from Falls

1. Unintentional injuries are the top cause of hospitalizations in children 17 and under. Our Galveston fall injury lawyers point out that falls account for about 35% of these unintentional injuries leading to emergency room visits.

2. The injury rate for childhood injuries from falls is highest at ages 1 to 2 years and again at ages 5 to 6 years. For boys, the rate of injury generally peaks at age 14.

3. On average, most of the childhood injuries from falls derive from:

a)Falls from playground equipment (14%),

b)Falls from furniture (13%),

c)Skating and skateboards (11%),

d)Falls from buildings (such as from windows and balconies) (3.5%), and

e)Falls from stairs (3.4%).

4. 64% of the children’s fall injuries are to the extremities, mostly fractures. 21% involve traumatic brain injury.

5. Nearly half of all children’s fall injuries requiring hospitalization resulted from skating or skateboards.

6. Traumatic brain injuries are the most frequent serious fall injury in falls from buildings and on stairways. (Source: Understanding and Preventing Child Fall Injuries and Fatalities: The Status of Prevention Efforts in California, University of California Center for Trauma and Injury Prevention Research)

The Galveston fall injury lawyers at Denena Points, PC note that two more primary sources of fall injuries in children are amusement park rides and rock climbing walls. Click the link to learn more about adult and childrens fall injuries from rock climbing walls. And click on the link in this sentence to read more about childhood injuries from falls at amusement parks.

Contact our Galveston Fall Injury Lawyers if You or Your Loved One has a Serious Fall Injury

We offer a completely free and confidential initial legal consultation. You have no obligation to hire an attorney. And we don’t charge attorneys’ fees unless we win your case, so there’s no financial risk to you. Call us at 281-369-4363 or reach us through our online contact form. And let us help you financially recover after a serious fall injury.

$20 Million awarded for Death from Collapsed Banzai Water Slide

A jury awarded the family of Robin Aleo more than $20 million for their needless loss after the young mother was killed on a Banzai water slide that collapsed beneath her. Robin Aleo had been visiting relatives in Andover, Massachusetts. She was sliding down the Banzai water slide headfirst as her husband and young child watched. Our Banzai water slide injury lawyers sadly note that the water slide suddenly partially collapsed beneath Ms. Aleo and sent her crashing head first into the concrete pool deck. She died from the injuries she received in the horrific impact.

Predictably, Toys R Us, where the slide was purchased, does not want to pay the large compensation award. Toys R Us is appealing the jury’s verdict, saying that the U.S. CPSC safety regulation at issue only applies to rigid pool slides and not to inflatable water slides. (Source: KTRK abc13.com, 4/26/13)

The Unsafe Banzai Water Slide was Recalled from the U.S. Market

The Banzai water slide injury lawyers at Denena Points, PC emphasize that the CPSC, recognizing the product’s danger, announced a recall of the Banzai water slide in May 2012. The Banzai water slide could deflate rapidly and without warning, causing serious injury or even death. In addition to the untimely death of Robin Aleo, the inflatable water slide was blamed for fracturing the neck of another woman and making a man a paraplegic.

If an Unsafe Inflatable Water Slide has injured you or a Family Member, You might be Eligible for Financial Compensation for your Injuries or Losses

Compensation is available to those who suffer needlessly because of a defective or unsafe product. Contact the Banzai water slide injury lawyers at Denena Points, PC for a free and confidential initial legal consultation to discuss your accident and evaluate your eligibility for financial recovery. You have no obligation to hire an attorney. And we don’t charge any attorney’s fees unless we win your case, so you have nothing to lose. Contact us today at 281-369-4363 or through our convenient online contact form.

You could be eligible for a full financial recovery for your:

• Medical bills associated with the injury. This compensation could include the costs of emergency room bills, physical therapy visits, follow-up doctor visits, and surgeries.
• Costs of future medical care needed for your injuries. Some injuries associated with the Banzai water slide are so severe that they could require life-long medical care. Our Banzai water slide injury lawyers make sure to take these costs into consideration when making a demand for compensation on your behalf.
• Pain and suffering. It’s never possible to put an accurate monetary value on the cost of losing a loved one to death or serious injury caused by a defective product. But there are formulas that experienced attorneys like Chad Points and Tony Denena can use to obtain reasonable compensation for the heartache that the injured party and his or her family members must endure as a result of the accident.

Contact us today and let us guide you to a full financial recovery for your needless injury.

Second impact syndrome and traumatic brain injuries in Texas sports

Second impact syndrome (SIS) in Texas sports occurs where a person suffers a second traumatic brain injury like a concussion before the first head injury has healed. The second injury might occur any time during the days and weeks of healing that follow the first injury. Our Houston head injury lawyers caution that even if the second head impact is mild, it could lead to herniation and cerebral edema (bleeding) that could cause collapse and death in a matter of minutes.

Medical literature has chronicled 17 cases of confirmed SIS. Other suspected, but unconfirmed cases have also been chronicled, but the phenomenon of SIS has not received extensive study as yet. The danger of SIS in Texas sports does warrant additional focused study. The U.S. CDC estimates that about 300,000 concussions occur annually in high school and college sports.

Even where additional head impact injuries occur after the symptoms of an initial concussion have disappeared, the risks of multiple concussions over a period of time are severe. Repetitive head injuries can lead to significant neurological and functional deficits in the victim.

Professional boxers, for instance, that receive multiple, deliberate blows to the head in the course of their profession show evidence of chronic encephalopathy, also called dementia pugilistica (“boxer’s dementia”). And autopsies of some professional football players that shared a history of repeated concussions over time showed brain changes that reflected chronic encephalopathy. And retired professional football players with 3 or more concussions during their careers showed a three-fold increase in the incidence of depression.

College players with multiple concussions demonstrate prolonged recovery periods, reduced cognitive performance, and an increased likelihood of additional concussions to add to their woes.

Our Houston head injury lawyers note that professional sports figures are increasingly donating their brains to science to be studied after death. But this trend has only recently emerged; so hard data on the brain changes and impairments caused by repeated traumatic brain injury in Texas sports remains relatively rare.

There remains much more to be learned about the cumulative effects of subsequent head impact injuries. But the data gleaned to date is already sobering. Multiple traumatic brain injuries over time can have detrimental effects on overall health, emotional stability, motor function, and cognitive function. The data strongly indicates that Texas sports programs to prevent traumatic brain injuries in athletes and to remove injured players from the field after a concussion are critical.

Learn more about what you could do to prevent or treat a sports-related concussion in this article by our Houston head injury lawyers.

Dangerous Product Alert: Banzai Falls Inflatable Poolside Waterslides

In the summer of 2006, 29-year-old mother Robin Aleo was vacationing with relatives in another state and enjoying a backyard pool party. But as the mother of an 18-month-old daughter slid down the six-foot inflatable slide positioned at the edge of the pool, the structure suddenly deflated, causing Aleo to fall head first to the ground. Her head struck the concrete lip of the pool, breaking her neck and rendering her unable to breathe. She died of her injuries the next day.

A preventable tragedy caused by a dangerous product

In 2011, Aleo’s family successfully sued Toys R Us, one of two distributers of the Banzai Falls waterslide, for $20.6 million. The jury deliberated for just under an hour before awarding the damages. But the fight to keep others safe from this defective product isn’t yet over.

Since Aleo’s fatal accident, two other people have suffered catastrophic neck and spinal cord injuries on the slides, while safety advocates believe that even more people have likely been injured by the dangerous product. And while the distributers have taken blame for the defective waterslide, the manufacturer of the slide, a China-based company called Manley Products, has not been cited in relation to the accidents.

The CPSC takes action and recalls Banzai Falls slides

This May, after reviewing the accident reports mentioned above, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced a recall of 21,000 Banzai Falls slides from around the country. The recall states that the slides are apt to deflate suddenly and tip over in non-windy conditions, resulting in serious fall injuries.

Anyone who owns a slide is asked to stop using it at once—regardless of whether they have experienced any of the defects associated with the product. Owners should remove the two warning labels located on the slides and bring them to either Toys R Us or Wal-Mart for a full refund.

Texas defective products attorney

It is vital to understand that any injuries associated with these defective waterslides may not have been your fault and should have been prevented by the manufacturer or distributor of the slide. If you or a loved one has been harmed on a Banzai slide, or by any other defective toy or product, be sure to report the incident and speak with an attorney.

At Denena & Points, our Banzai slide injury lawyers have the skill and experience to tackle your defective product lawsuit. Contact us today by filling out the electronic form to the right of this page or by calling us toll-free at 877-307-9500. Get your questions answered and know your legal rights.

A roller coaster injury you would never expect to happen occurs in NJ

Roller coaster injury lawyers note a recent and weird injury accident in New Jersey. On Thursday at Six Flags Great Adventure amusement park in New Jersey, one young boy was the victim of a bizarre roller coaster accident that you would never expect to happen. As his roller coaster train was returning to the station after an exhilarating ride on the Kingdom Ka, a small bird collided with the boy’s face.

The boy received transport to the hospital for minor injuries to his face and neck, but fortunately received no very serious wounds. The small bird apparently died in the weird collision. Six Flags kept the Kingdom Ka shut down for about half an hour after the accident. (Source: Asbury Park Press, 7/27/2012)

The Kingdom Ka is one of the new breed of extreme roller coasters. It is the world’s tallest roller coaster. The steel accelerator coaster reaches a height of 45 stories and speeds of more than 125 mph. With more sophisticated machines made possible because of computer modeling and precision engineering, roller coasters now exist that reach unprecedented heights and speeds and carry riders through daring loops, turns, and twists.

But in spite of the intense nature of some of the thrills on the latest generation of extreme roller coasters, the steel rails and careful design process make the ride smoother than one receives on the remaining slower, less tall wooden roller coasters. The old wooden coasters still have their share of enthusiasts.

The bumpier ride and more pronounced jerks and slips as riders travel the wooden track also mean more sprains, strains, and tears to soft tissue. Our roller coaster injury lawyers caution that you’re generally more likely to suffer a whiplash-type injury or other minor injuries to the neck and back on an old, wooden roller coaster than on one of the modern steel rides.

But on the newer, extreme roller coasters, a collision with anything, even a small bird making an ill-advised approach in NJ air space, could mean serious injuries. Some “dueling” coasters have been shut down in the past because riders received unexplained injuries from collisions with unknown small objects. The objects could have been as ordinary as beads flying from an embellished garment. Or the injuries might have been the result of mischief-makers hurling tiny objects across the track.

With every new ride and thrilling new amusement park experience, we find that unfortunate new opportunities for injury arise. You should always be aware of your limits and the limits of any children accompanying you when you approach a new ride. The limits might be the result of health conditions or even fear. And always take all necessary safety precautions as well as following warnings and instructions posted by the ride operators.

And if you or your family members suffer a ride injury at an amusement park, you know where to turn. Contact our experienced roller coaster injury lawyers for a free and confidential legal consultation. We could help you understand your legal rights and options, and guide you down your road to a full financial recovery for the needless harm you’ve suffered.

We are one of the few law firms with actual, practical experience winning roller coaster injury claims. Our case results speak for themselves. Put our roller coaster injury lawyers’ practical experience and skill in your corner when you need help. Call today.

Some amusement ride safety tips that concerned parents can use

1. Watch a ride in motion with your child before letting your child board. Our ride injury lawyers suggest that if the ride looks unsafe, or if it looks like it might present dangers or temptations to show off to your child, don’t let your child ride.

2. Be cautious and use your own judgment about whether to let your child on a ride. An attendant may assure you a ride is safe for your offspring, but you know your child’s fears and tendencies. Your child might be too young or too fidgety to safely ride a coaster or other ride, even if he or she meets the minimum height requirement.

3. Read warning signs aloud to your children and make sure they understand. If they need to keep hands and feet inside a ride at all times, make sure they understand why they must, and what could happen if they don’t.

4. Pont out the entry and exit points and the entry and exit procedures to your child, as well as the locations of ride attendants and amusement park attendants.

5. Instruct your children to hold on tight to the ride, keep their feet flat on the ride car if they can, and stay safely seated in their ride seat. Our ride injury lawyers point out that many rides’ restraint systems are designed primarily for teens and adults and won’t properly restrain younger children. So your child’s best prospects for safety lie in maintaining a tight hold on the ride and a secure seat in the ride car.

6. If your child is afraid of a ride, don’t let peers pressure them into riding it. Frightened children will often try to exit a ride in motion and serious hurt themselves.

7. Obey ride-loading instructions that indicate when a child is more safely seated on the inside or the outside of a ride. Our ride injury lawyers remind you that those instructions could help prevent serious injuries resulting from centrifugal forces or the tendency of smaller children to escape ride restraints on fast turns or changes in acceleration.

8. Teach your children what to do and whom to contact if they accidentally get separated from you at an amusement park or other busy venue. Make sure they know the information park authorities will need to find and contact you.

9. Supervise your children as they ride amusement park rides. Always ride the rides with younger children, and even with your older children if they will allow it. Rider horseplay and misconduct remains one of the top causes of amusement park ride injuries, and children are generally less inclined to misbehave or show off in a dangerous fashion if they’re under parental supervision.

10. Remember that amusement park rides, like any pieces of heavy machinery, present dangers of catastrophic injury if misused or if safety is disregarded. Our ride injury lawyers emphasize that amusement park rides move fast, and can sever limbs and crush riders if safety is disregarded.

If your child should suffer injury from a dangerous amusement park ride and you need advice regarding your legal rights and options in the matter, feel free to contact us. Our experienced ride injury lawyers provide a free initial consultation to discuss your problem and help you find solutions. Over more than 12 years, we’ve helped injured ride accident victims successfully achieve a full financial recovery for the harm they’ve suffered. We’re here to help you too.

Some safety tips & cautionary words for your summer fun in the water

Swimming and boating injury lawyers understand that boating or swimming in the water during the hot summer months can be relaxing and fun, but it can also be dangerous. Authorities advise that many people overestimate their swimming abilities and strength, and then get into trouble when they reach deep water or a strong current or swim for too far or too long a period of time. Life vests are essential equipment anytime you’re swimming or boating out on open water. The vests could save the lives of weak swimmers and non-swimmers even in residential swimming pools.

Water rescue teams generally arrive after the fact of a drowning or boating accident. On open waters, there’s generally no “life guard” present to help prevent your accident if you overextend yourself in or on the water. Our swimming and boating injury lawyers caution that your summer fun on the water can quickly turn tragic if essential safety precautions aren’t taken.

Some of the dangers you might encounter on or in the water include:

• Hidden drop-offs in rivers, lakes, or streams that can swallow up the unwary swimmer or wader.
• Black water with no or limited visibility that hides hidden dangers and obstacles and impedes rescue efforts.
• Strong currents that can sweep boaters, swimmers, or fishermen into harm’s way.
• Lakes fed by rivers that have conditions that change with that river, such as fluctuating depth or composition.
• Cold water temperatures that could cause dangerous hypothermia or cold water shock.
• Hidden obstacles in the water like trees, boulders, concrete, or metal that can take a boater or swimmer unawares and cause fatal injury.
• Speeding or recklessly driven boats or jet skis that could cause a collision, run over a swimmer, or eject the vehicle’s occupant into the water in an accident.
• Water vehicles operating in too close proximity to each other or to bridges, piers, and other structures. A sudden collision could eject the occupants into the concrete or steel structures to suffer fatal injuries.
• Swimming or boating while intoxicated (BWI). BWI is not only illegal, but along with swimming while intoxicated, leads to an estimated 50% – 60% of adult drowning deaths. Alcohol impairs reflexes, your judgment, alertness, and swimming and boating abilities. Authorities could put a stop to your summer with an arrest for BUI or public intoxication. But taking you away from the water while you’re impaired could save your life and the lives of others.

Failing to follow basic safety rules in or on the water can lead to tragic accidents and injuries that could claim the life of yourself, your friends, or your family members. Our swimming and boating injury lawyers understand that you just want to have fun in the water this summer. And we don’t want to spoil your fun. We enjoy summer water outings too. The swimming and boating injury lawyers at Denena & Points just want you to stay safe. Take the necessary safety precautions to prevent water accidents, injuries, or fatalities, and enjoy many more summers to come.