How Do You Know If the Individual Operating the Amusement Ride or Water Park Ride That You or Your Child Is On Is Not Intoxicated or Under the Influence Of Drugs?
Recently the amusement and water park accident injury law firm of Reiff & Bily reviewed a case where an operator of water park slide wasn’t paying attention and failed to carefully monitor traffic and crowd control allowing too many people down the slide at one time resulting in a violent collision causing what appears to be a significant permanent injury.
At a Wisconsin amusement park, recently, a girl fell 100 feet off a ride landing operated by an individual who had admitted he smoked pot before the accident. A criminal investigation was commenced and the ride operator told the investigators that he “blanked out" when he sent the victim plunging to the ground below. The operator was supposed to check to see if the safety net was in place and get a signal from below that it was safe to release the rider. The operator admitted that he didn’t do this. He stated that he should have been more cautious. As a result of his inattention, the innocent and unsuspecting victim fell head first onto the pavement and according to news sources is in critical condition with a broken back and many other injuries and could be permanently paralyzed. The 17-year old amusement park employee is out merely on a $1,000 bond and is not allowed to operate rides while he was out on bond.
As experienced amusement and water park accident attorneys, we have investigated and handled many cases similar to the case stated. In the last week, we have spoken to two witnesses of amusement park accidents involving our clients who claim that the operator of the ride simply was not paying attention. When you think about it, the operators are merely 16, 17, or 18 years old and many are foreigners on summer programs being paid minimum wage or slightly above. When one takes into account the margin for error, the availability of pot, alcohol, or other drugs, and their common usage among such teenagers, stricter penalties and regulations are called for. Amusement park and water park operators must be held accountable for preventable accidents that occur on their premises.
If you or a loved one has been involved in an amusement park or water park accident, please feel free to contact one of our experienced amusement park or water park accident attorneys for a free no obligation consultation at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.
