The Code of Silence in Amusement Park Accidents — Experienced Amusement Park Accident Lawyer Speaks Out
I received a call this morning from a client who allegedly sustained fairly serious injuries as a result of an amusement park ride malfunction at one of Wildwood’s amusement parks during one of the early weekends in May. I looked for any news reports concerning this accident and there were none. Despite the fact that representatives of the park offered her an ambulance ride to the hospital after the accident and admitted to her that one of the chains snapped while pulling one of the cars on an incline. There was no evidence of this accident to be found in the blogosphere or on any news sources. The situation is not unique.
Amusement park injuries and accidents are rarely talked about because park owners, operators, and amusement manufacturers do not want to explain how the ride works or do not want adverse publicity. Accidents happen at New Jersey and Pennsylvania amusement parks more frequently than you can imagine. According to statistics, chances of hurting yourself in an amusement park are rising, increasing over 27% in the last 10 years even though visitorship rose only 12%.
Many times amusement parks enter into confidentiality agreements with claimants looking to quickly resolve cases. The amusement industry in New Jersey and Pennsylvania is not as strictly policed as one would think. It is almost impossible to know how many amusement rides malfunction without causing injuries. Many parks log amusement malfunctions internally but do not have to inform the authorities. Even if it is not supposed to happen, it should be reported says this experienced Philadelphia amusement park accident attorney. The public deserves and is entitled to safety rules and regulations with “teeth” in them so that our children and loved ones are more fully protected from lurking danger.
Many amusement park injuries in New Jersey and Pennsylvania are caused by the inattention or negligence of the operators. Many dangerous rides are operated by young teenagers barely age 16, an age many would consider being too young to be running an amusement ride and to be entrusted with the lives of dozens of children. In Pennsylvania and New Jersey, inspection stickers and permits are required to be posted on all rides. In Pennsylvania, the management must post a sign, usually at the ticket booth, that says the ride has been inspected as required by the Pennsylvania Amusement Ride Inspection Act and are in compliance with the Act. In New Jersey, our experience has been that inspections are haphazard and not tightly regulated or enforced with too many gaps and loopholes.
In a tightened economy in a seaside environment, the possibility exists for a perfect storm of circumstances leading to accidents on poorly designed unsafe rides with inattentive, underage, underpaid, and sometimes under the influence operators, and visitors unaware of safety risks. More than 300 million people visit U.S. amusement parks and safely enjoy 1.8 billion rides each year. For a small number of thrill seekers, the good times will become a matter of life and death.
If you or a loved one has been injured in an amusement park accident, please contact one of our experienced amusement park accident attorneys for a free, no obligation consultation at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.
