What If You Are Injured In A Resort Or Theme Park?
Brian O Sutter
Personal Injury
Florida is famous for a lot of things, but high on that list is the huge number of amusement parks, resorts, and other destinations that bring millions of tourists to the area every year. While these locations must go through intense inspections and meet the highest standards of excellence, the fact is that accidents do happen. The most recent example of this occurred on June 14, 2018, at the Daytona Beach Boardwalk. The Sand Blaster roller coaster derailed and two passengers fell 34 feet, being seriously injured in the process. Along with them, seven more passengers went to the hospital for less serious injuries. But what happens when you're injured in an accident of this nature? What rights do you have? Understanding these questions could help you ensure that you are able to make a full recovery.
What Are Your Rights?
In any Florida accident, those who are injured in an accident have the right to seek financial compensation for their injuries if they can prove that their injuries were a direct result of someone else's reckless or negligent actions. This applies to any type of accident including those that take place on the premises of a public place such as a resort, hotel, store, or amusement park.
For example, if a property owner or manager is aware of a safety issue at their resort or a problem with a ride, they must take action to correct the problem and prevent injuries. If they willfully ignore the issue, allow people to access the area that is dangerous, or anything similar, then they could be found to be liable for their actions.
It's not always easy to prove this, however. Property owners have deep pockets and high-powered legal teams on their side. As such, it's common for them to do all that they can to avoid paying out anything to those hurt by their actions. As such, those who are involved in an accident of this nature will need to enlist the help of a personal injury lawyer. Your attorney will use a variety of tools and techniques to show that you are owed compensation including:
• Security camera footage
• Eyewitness accounts
• Safety history of rides or properties
• And more
Accessing the right information is key for proving that you deserve compensation, and only a skilled personal injury lawyer will be able to do this. As such, those injured in an accident of this nature need to seek help from an attorney as soon as they can.
The Sand Blaster Accident
In the case of the Sand Blaster accident, there are many signs that owners and operators knew about problems with the ride. It had spent decades being moved around the country before making its way to Daytona Beach. Then, in May of 2017, it was closed for more than a dozen safety violations ranging from damaged bolts to major corrosion and more. One year later, in May of 2017, it failed another inspection due to multiple safety issues.
While it was inspected and passed on the day of the accident, witnesses stated that workers were welding the ride even as it began to accept passengers for the day. Then, that afternoon, it derailed and caused life-changing injuries including neck, back, and spinal injuries.
Currently, inspectors are investigating the ride on behalf of the legal team for the injured, and if problems are found there is a good chance that those injured parties could seek restitution form the owners of the ride. It's a clear example of just how important it can be to find help after an accident and why everyone should be aware of their rights - even if they're injured in an accident at a resort or amusement park.