“We Thought We Were Going To Die” Stated People Stranded On A Roller Coaster Ride For Four Hours on August 10, 2009 - The Largely Unregulated Amusement Park Industry Continues To Claim Victims In Avoidable Amusement Park Accidents
Twenty-four thrill seekers on a thrill ride roller coaster remained stuck for 4 hours immobilized 80 feet in the air in 95 degree heat before being rescued by fire fighters in another amusement park accident according to news sources. This roller coaster known as The Invertigo is located at Great America in Santa Clara, California. The Invertigo is one of the newest thrill rides which specializes in turning people upside down as it transports the riders through loops, sharp turns and hills and valleys. According to park officials and state investigators, the amusement ride malfunctioned and focus is being noted upon the lift chain. When the coaster stopped, many riders were strapped in their seats with their legs dangling in the air while fire fighters hoisted basket topped ladders to retrieve them one by one. One observer stated that she watched the Invertigo’s operator cringe when the train screeched to an unexpected halt. According to news sources, this is the third mishap on the same ride since 2000.
In 2001, the same amusement park ride jammed at 138 feet in another amusement park accident at the steepest part of the ride and in 2000 the same roller coaster encountered a shut down very similar to that of August 10th when 25 people were left dangling in their seats for approximately 1/2 hour. The Invertigo climbs to a 138 foot drop, reaching a top speed of 50 mph, leaving riders upside down six times during the trip.
Earlier this week, on August 8, 2009, at the King’s Island Amusement Park in Toledo, Ohio, a 38-year old Toledo man died after riding a roller coaster. In the United States, no official source keeps a complete national record of theme park accidents. This last week at an Alabama adventure theme park, two adults and two teens, who were buckled in a raft, were thrown into the water in a freak water park amusement accident.
Amusement parks are a favorite and often unknowingly dangerous form of entertainment for families and young people throughout the United States. Amusement park operators are always advertising the newest thrill ride adventure to increase popularity and revenue. Unfortunately, many of these new thrill rides are not safe and cause many catastrophic injuries and fatalities including broken bones, broken noses, broken legs, whiplash, brain hemorrhages, paralysis and even death. Amusement park owners aggressively fight claims for injuries and death and most times will not settle any legal claim unless a lawsuit is filed. In most instances, this experienced amusement park accident attorney has noted that amusement park owners and their legal counsel will attempt to settle cases as cheaply as possible. There are serious loopholes in the consumer product safety act of 1981 which prohibits the CPSC from regulating the safety of rides that are fixed to a specific site. Regulatory inspection of fixed site amusement rides are left up to local or state municipalities and as a result the inspection of sites varies from good to none.
The accomplished amusement park accident attorneys at Reiff and Bily have successfully represented thousands of personal injury clients for catastrophic injuries since 1979. If you have been involved in an amusement park accident, it is important that you contact an experienced amusement park accident lawyer to investigate the potential for a product defect, premise liability claim or other venues of liability so that you can have your legal interests fully protected. Please contact us for a free no obligation consultation at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.
