Why Connecticut Ride Regulations didn’t prevent Serious Zumur Injuries
Continued from Part 1. Connecticut law requires all carnival and festival ride operators to get a license from the state’s Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) in order to operate rides at a specific event. The application has to be submitted at least 10 days before the day the event starts.
The carnival ride accident lawyers at Denena Points, PC mention that Stewart Amusements, the owner of the Zumur swing ride, had complied with that law. It had submitted its application on August 12th for the Festival that ran from September 6th through the 8th. The application fee was $200.
The DCP approved the application, contingent upon the results of an inspection to be conducted at 9 in the morning on the Friday that the Festival began. Detectives from the Fire Marshal’s office inspected the ride.
On State Regulations Requiring Liability Insurance for Ride Operators
Stewart Amusements also had to provide proof of financial responsibility (liability insurance) in case of an accident. You can see why insurance is a requirement of the laws. Ride accidents very rarely happen. But when they do, they can seriously injure multiple people quite severely, resulting in high costs to everyone.
Stewart Amusements had also complied with the insurance regulation. It had already submitted evidence in April to the state’s Department of Insurance that it had coverage through March 2014. Our carnival ride accident lawyers remark that its coverage was through T.H.E. Insurance Company, which specializes in insuring carnival operators, amusement parks, and zoos. (Source: Dave Altimari and Christine Dempsey, The Hartford Courant, 9/9/13).
What are the Different State Laws Governing Ride Safety Inspections?
In the various U.S. states that actually have laws requiring ride inspections for safety, the agencies in charge of inspecting the rides vary. In Connecticut, they’re detectives from the Fire Marshal’s office. In Texas, they’re sent by the Texas Department of Insurance. In Florida, the large theme parks are allowed to conduct their own inspections.
Additionally, there is no consistent overall scheme for reporting and recording ride accidents and injuries throughout the United States. So when interested parties (like the carnival ride accident lawyers at Denena Points, PC) try to get an overall picture of just how many ride accidents occur each year, who they hurt, and why they occur, it’s extremely difficult. And the picture is always incomplete.
How do You find out about How Many Ride Injuries Occur and Who gets Hurt?
One tactic used is to survey hospital emergency rooms to see how many people came in reporting injuries from ride accidents and what type of injuries they had. But those surveys usually only reach a small sampling of the vast number of U.S. hospitals.
For instance, a 2012 survey of just 96 U.S. hospital emergency departments found 1,239 reported injuries from ride accidents. The ride accidents reported included those from large theme parks, small carnivals, state fairs, mobile rides, inflatable rides, water rides, and the kiddy rides you see sometimes at shopping malls or restaurants. The commission that did the survey estimates that in 2012, around 43,850 injuries resulted in the United States from carnival rides. 1,112 of those injuries were estimated to require hospitalization or end in death.
As only the most horrific of amusement ride accidents reach the news, you may find these high numbers of injuries from 2012 pretty surprising. And our carnival ride accident lawyers emphasize that not all of the injuries are from falls or crashes when rides malfunction. Some of the injuries result from stroke and cardiac problems when the extreme forces of a thrill ride overtake the body’s ability to compensate.
Get Smart on Ride Safety: Download our FREE Report and Contact Us with Your Ride Accident Questions
Take care and know your limits when you visit a theme park or a carnival with rides. Pay close attention to the safety notices and obey the warnings regarding height requirements or medical conditions. Download our free report to get some useful information on what to watch out for with amusement rides and how to help you and your family stay safe when you ride the rides.
Don’t hesitate to contact the nationwide carnival ride accident lawyers at Denena Points, PC for afree, no obligation initial legal consultation if you have urgent questions regarding a ride accident you or your loved ones have suffered. We’ll examine the specifics of the accident with you and evaluate your potential eligibility for a full financial recovery after your injuries. Watch our video on this page to learn how we have helped other families after ride accidents have changed their lives. Call us at 713-807-9500 or fill out our simple online contact form to schedule your free legal consultation.