Amusement park injury lawyers know that occasional dramatic accidents on roller coasters, water slides, and other amusement park rides dot the news media. The coverage is often intense when there’s a catastrophic or fatal injury on the ride. But the largest category of personal injury claims against amusement park ride venues involve ordinary slip and fall injuries. These injuries account for approximately 33% of all amusement park injury claims, according to a study in the Orange County Register.
A patron might fall on a slick floor, slip on a spilled drink, become unsteady exiting an exciting ride, fall over an unnoticed curb, or trip on uneven pavement. And because amusement parks are under some pressure to avoid negative publicity and long, public court cases, many injury claims get settled quietly out of court. Another large group of claims, including many of the slip and fall cases, get dismissed for lack of merit.
Disneyland in Anaheim, CA has been the target of almost 140 personal injury lawsuits since 2007. Nearby Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park, CA, a venue with a name that doesn’t call to mind any particular threat of injury, has been hit with 50 of the lawsuits.
Rarely do personal injury claims against major entities like amusement parks go to trial. When they do end up in court, the injured claimants, up against powerful and well-funded defense teams, don’t often win. Injury claims against amusement parks involve complex considerations and elements of proof. Indeed, the Orange County Register found that Disneyland and Knott’s Berry Farm each lost only one jury trial on an injury claim since 2007. That’s a pretty solid record.
To increase your chances of making a successful personal injury claim after you’ve been hurt at an amusement park, contact an amusement park injury lawyer with actual, winning experience in the field. Contact the experienced amusement park injury lawyers at Denena & Points for a free and confidential initial consultation.