Amusement parks are supposed to be family-friendly fun, and that means they are supposed to be safe. For scores of people every year, however, they turn out to be a nightmare. If you are the victim of an accident at a theme or water park, what rights do you have and what can you do? Here is Rossetti & DeVoto’s guide to slip-and-fall accidents in amusement parks.

Amusement Park Regulations in New Jersey

In the State of New Jersey, the Carnival and Amusement Ride Safety Act governs fixed-site amusement park regulations. This act established an annual safety inspection program for fixed-site rides. This gives green stickers to rides that pass inspection and red stickers to those that do not.

Further safety regulations overseen by the Carnival and Amusement Ride Safety Act include:

• All rides built by fixed-ride manufacturers must be certified before they can be sold in New Jersey.
• Owners of fixed-site rides must obtain an annual permit for each ride; it includes both annual and randomized operational inspections during the year.

Mobile amusement park rides, typical at traveling fairs or carnivals, are governed by the authority of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). While the CPSC sets safety standards, however, they do not conduct inspections of every single carnival ride, nor are their recommendations mandatory.

Common Amusement Park Injuries

While the nature of accidents can vary widely, depending on the fall, or the type of amusement park, the most common complications from what may seem like “just” slip-and-fall injuries at amusements parks include:

• Spinal cord injuries – including paralysis
• Head and traumatic brain injuries
• Lacerations and bruising
• Fractures
• Heart attack or failure
• Generalized face, head or neck injuries

Owner Liability

Accidents at amusement parks, including slip-and-falls, can occur for a wide variety of reasons. Park owners themselves, however, have an obligation to try and help prevent any accidents from occurring on their property and to keep visitors safe at all times. This is because park owners invite visitors to come to their amusement park to enjoy themselves. And, spend money on their products. As such, the park operator has a direct duty to protect these visitors and keep them safe.

The extent of the duty to which a park owner must adhere varies from park to park, depending on the nature of the amusement park itself. If a park has alligators, for instance, the park could expect to have wet floors and sidewalks. It is their duty, therefore, to keep nearby walkways dry, in order to avoid slip-and-falls.

Steps to Take If You Get an Injury in a Slip-and-Fall

If you are injured in a slip-and-fall at an amusement or water park, here are the steps you need to take to ensure your claim has every chance of being successful:

• Seek immediate medical treatment for any injuries you suffer
• Keep records of all related medical bills
• Take photos of the scene of your injury, documenting the conditions that contributed to your fall, including the shoes and clothing you were wearing
• Get contact information from any eye-witnesses, or individuals who helped you afterward, including theme park employees
• Report your accident to theme park management
• Consult an experienced slip and fall attorney before you sign, or agree to, any written statements or documents.
• Write down your recollection of the incident, including all relevant details.

Contact an Experienced Slip-and-Fall  Attorney Today

Lou DeVoto has successfully fought for clients who were the victims of negligence at amusement parks and other private properties, including $350,000 for a doctor who slipped on ice outside a condominium complex and $150,000 for an individual who slipped and fell at an apartment complex in Camden County. So if you’ve suffered a slip-and-fall in New Jersey -or anywhere else – give Rossetti & DeVoto a call today at (844) 263-6260 for a free, no-obligation consultation.