Posted on Aug 02, 2013
On Tuesday, a woman fell 8 to 10 feet sideways out of The Zipper ride at the Montana State Fair in Great Falls. A Fire Rescue battalion chief said that the woman hit her head in the fall, and it started bleeding. Rescue personnel immobilized the woman as a precaution before taking her to the hospital. Our carnival ride accident attorneys note that The Zipper ride was closed after the accident, but reopened the next day.
The Zipper ride was not in motion at the time of the fall, but was in the process of unloading. Some witness reports indicted that the rider’s unlocked tub might have been dangling at an unsafe height prior to the fall. The Zipper ride consists of freely flipping tubs suspended along an oblong frame. Two passengers are in each tub as it spins while traversing the oblong frame.
John Hanschen, president and co-owner of the Mighty Thomas Carnival, which operates The Zipper, said that based on his interviews with the ride operator, he does not believe there was any operator error involved in the fall from the Zipper ride. He initially had stated that it appeared that one of the tubs might have been higher than it should have been during unloading. But he later stated that the unloading process was done in the normal way.
The carnival ride accident attorneys at Denena Points, PC emphasize that authorities were still in the process of investigating what caused the accident, so no firm conclusions could yet be reached. (Sources: David Murray, Great Falls Tribune; and Janet Loehrke, Anne Carey, and Tiffany Aldinger, USA Today and Great Falls Tribune, 7/31/13)
The sincere wishes of our carnival ride accident attorneys at Denena Points, PC go out to the injured woman, hoping for her swift and safe recovery from her injuries.
Contact the Experienced Carnival Ride Accident Attorneys at Denena Points, PC to Build a Winning Ride Injury Claim for You
We have more than 12 years of experience resolving complex injury cases both at trial and through carefully negotiated settlements. Click the link to read about a successful multi-million dollar settlement we helped win for a victim’s family after a fatal fall from a roller coaster at the 2011 Houston Rodeo. We’ve helped carnival ride accident victims across the nation; we could help you too.
We always provide you with a free initial legal consultation, without obligation, to discuss your accident and evaluate your potential eligibility for a full financial recovery from your injuries. And we don’t charge you any attorneys’ fees unless we win your case for you. Call us at 713-807-9500 or just fill out our online contact form to schedule your free legal consultation.
Ride Operator Error is One of the Major Causes of Carnival Ride Accidents
Especially after the deadly Texas Giant roller coaster accident at Six Flags earlier this month, where witnesses indicated that ride operator inattention and negligence might have been to blame for the fatal fall, it’s natural to look to ride operators for fault during the first phases of a carnival ride accident investigation. Our carnival ride accident attorneys point out that ride operator error could implicate the ride owner in heavy financial liabilities for any accident injuries or fatalities. So it’s natural for the owner of The Zipper to leap to interview and exonerate the ride operator in this accident.
Further in-depth investigation is necessary to uncover the true cause(s) of the fall from The Zipper ride at the Montana State Fair. Even if not primarily at fault, a ride operator error could have contributed to the accident. Equipment malfunctions could also be to blame. But a thorough investigation is the key to discovering who’s truly at fault for the serious injury accident.
Read More About Woman Injures Head in Fall from The Zipper at Montana State Fair…