Orlando Amusement Park Accident Lawyer
Orlando and surrounding areas are the home to Disney World, Epcot, Universal Studios, Sea World and other theme and amusement parks. These attractions draw millions of people from all over the world to Central Florida for family vacations, reunions, weddings and other forms of fun and entertainment.
Theme parks usually offer a fun time for all. However, park patrons can suffer serious personal injuries when accidents are caused by faulty or poorly maintained rides, property hazards and negligent security. Children, the elderly and guests with medical conditions face a high risk for these types of accidents.
Frank M. Eidson is an experienced personal injury attorney who is available to help those who been injured in amusement park accidents, including out-of-state residents who were injured while visiting a park in the Orlando area. If you would like to receive a free consultation about your case, contact Frank M. Eidson, P.A. We can start right away on investigating your case.
How Often Do Theme Park Ride Accidents Occur?
You may be surprised to learn that the largest theme parks in the Orlando area have no governmental oversight of their rides, grounds, buildings or food service, as an Orlando TV station reported. This is because the parks have more than 1,000 employees and full-time inspectors on staff.
The International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) is a trade association for amusement parks, theme parks and attractions. As you may expect, the IAAPA states that amusement park rides are very safe.
According to the IAAPA, the likelihood of being injured seriously enough on a ride to require overnight hospitalization for treatment is 1 in 24 million. The chance of being fatally injured is 1 in 750 million.
Still, it is clear that amusement park injuries do happen. According to the IAAPA, these incidents “are caused by … either staff or mechanical error.”
In one recent year, an estimated 1,221 injuries occurred in amusement parks, including 84 that were labeled “serious.” Those accidents included:
- Family and adult rides, 53.1%
- Roller coasters, 40.5%
- Children’s rides,6.4%
An annual report by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) cited operator behavior, mechanical failure and design defects or limitations as the typical causes of amusement park ride accidents and injuries.
Getting Legal Help After a Florida Amusement Park Accident
If you or a loved one has been injured in an amusement park ride accident in Florida, you may be eligible to seek compensation for your losses, including the costs of medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering and more.
Theme park operators (and the contractors they hire) may also be held responsible for other types of premises liability accidents, including:
- Slip-and-fall accidents – For instance, if a deck, walkway or other surface is left wet and slippery without adequate warning, or if power cords, equipment or debris is left in a walking path
- Struck-by accidents – Such as a person being struck by falling or flying materials, tools, equipment or machinery parts
- Poor lighting – When maintenance is neglected, leaving an area dark at night, which can lead to a fall or another accident
- Security issues – Such as when on-property hotels, motels or parking lots are not secured from intruders who commit assaults or robberies.
Attorney Frank M. Eidson can perform a thorough, independent investigation of your amusement park accident and seek full compensation for your injuries or the loss of a loved one. He will make sure your rights are protected.
Contact an Orlando Amusement Park Injury Attorney
The law firm of Frank M. Eidson, P.A., is available to meet with you right away to discuss your amusement park accident. Simply call or contact us online today to get started with a free and confidential consultation.
Sources / More Information
- Who Oversees Theme Park Safety in Florida? Big Orlando Theme Parks Exempt from Government Inspection, WESH.com
- Regulations and Standards, IAAPA
- Fixed-Site Amusement Ride Injury Survey, National Safety Council
- Amusement Ride-Related Injuries and Deaths in the United States, Consumer Product Safety Commission