Houston rodeo accident lawyers share the excitement: yes, it’s almost time for the highly-anticipated Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, Houston’s annual 3-week party. Kicking off with the hugely popular cook-off, the HLSR features long trail rides for dedicated riders, concerts headlining big names, all kinds of Texas foods and drinks to sample and enjoy, the stock show, one of the world’s largest rodeos, and yes, the carnival rides by Ray Cammack Shows.
Our Houston rodeo accident lawyers note that for an annual event of its size, the HLSR enjoys an enviable safety record. The HLSR record might exceed that of the Texas State Fair, another of the state’s huge, highly anticipated, annual funfests.
But you might remember that last year’s HLSR was marred by a tragic, fatal accident that occurred just hours before the event was to close down. Brian Greenhouse, a Houston man, fell 30 feet to his death from the front car of the Hi-Miler roller coaster in 2011. He fell into another man on the way down. Ray Cammack Shows and HLSR continued to maintain that the ride was safe.
Just hours before Greenhouse’s fatal fall, a man and his son complained to the ride operator that the restraint mechanism in the front car unlocked and opened during their ride, leaving the man and his son unrestrained. Days before, a woman with a 6-year-old boy made the dame complaints. She was terrified for herself and her son, but said that the ride operator essentially ignored and dismissed her complaint.
In 2009, another woman, this one with a 4-year-old daughter, had complained after the lap bar had completely released while they were riding in the front car of the Hi-Miler. She complained to ride operators at HLSR, but the operators never reported the problem to the state as required. The woman reported the incident to the Texas Department of Insurance.
Our Houston rodeo accident lawyers just wanted to remind you before HLSR kicks off again that roller coaster accidents, while rare, are often fatal or deeply debilitating on the occasions when they do occur. And traveling amusement ride shows might not be as careful for your safety as you might like. Per passenger mile, roller coasters actually have more fatal accidents than passenger trains, planes, and buses.
So always think twice before you step onto thrilling and potentially deadly amusement rides. Fortunately, the Hi-Miler will not play at this year’s HLSR, but there is no guarantee that it won’t return in future years. And our Houston rodeo accident lawyers suggest that if fate tries to put you into the Hi-Miler’s first car at next year’s HLSR, you might want to wait for the next coaster. And if you suffer harm from a ride accident at the Rodeo, feel free to contact us for a complimentary, no-obligation legal consultation. We’re here to help innocent victims who suffer undeserved harm because of profit-oriented ride owners’ negligence.