Philadelphia Injury Attorney Blog

While the Consumer Protection Safety Commission estimates that the number of serious injuries on amusement park rides continue to increase dramatically, there are serious loopholes in the Consumer Product Safety Act of 1981 which prohibits the CPSC from regulating and enforcing the safety of all rides that are fixed to a specific site. Unfortunately, there is no official source which keeps a complete record of amusement park accidents. As an experienced amusement park accident attorney who has investigated and litigated some of the most horrific amusement park accidents that one can imagine, the one thing that I do understand is there is something fundamentally wrong with the checks and balances and safety protocol of the amusement park safety system as it currently exists in America.

Many times local and state regulators who currently oversee amusement parks lack effective budgets, resources, and technical expertise to carry out effective safety checks and investigate accidents. Our experiences reveal that when we conduct independent unbiased examinations and analysis of an amusement accident, the results are greatly at odds with the opinions of local regulators and authorities.

According to news sources, Lego Land in Florida reported six mishaps involving guests that occurred during its first two and a half months of operation but claim none of the instances appeared to have serious injuries. Believe it or not a Florida statute exempts Lego Land in Florida and many other major theme parks in Florida from regulation by the state bureau even though the attractions are required to submit quarterly incident reports. This exemption applies to theme parks of at least 1,000 employees and their own inspection staff. While many of the parks claim that safety is their number one concern and claim they have a duty to report any serious injuries or major incidents, the obvious question is begged as to what is a “serious incident”.

I have always believed that one must stand for something or you will fall for anything. It is only when a horrific accident involving a catastrophic injury or wrongful death occurs at an amusement park that the victim or the family of the victim feels the true betrayal of an inefficient regulatory system.

Unfortunately, money, power, and greed of the amusement park industry often leads to unnecessary injuries and worse yet death.

As an experienced amusement park and carnival accident attorney, I believe that leaving the power of amusement park regulation to local and state agencies where the amusement park corporation is a major source of economic income to the community is analogous to the “fox guarding the hen house”.

Amusement park safety is priority number one for the amusement park accident lawyers of Reiff and Bily. We believe that everyone deserves a safe amusement park governed by a uniform board of federal and national laws, and that cutting corners and not placing safety first is never an acceptable option.

For over three decades, I have been practicing catastrophic injury and wrongful death law and all too often a catastrophic injury or wrongful death is caused by a clear violation of laws that have minimal if any enforcement guidelines and “teeth”.
Recently the Concordia cruise ship disaster illustrated just how many deaths and catastrophic injuries could be caused in an industry guided by rules that were spottily enforced. Every time an accident happens whether it involves a cruise ship, bus accident, trucking accident, amusement park accident, or product liability claim, authorities and experts are quick to state that the event is a wake-up call that highlights longstanding safety concerns.

In Philadelphia, we continue to have an escalating hit and run car accident crisis due to the fact that there are several well-known loopholes in the laws and yet legislators refuse to take steps to change and enforce codes which should in reality punish violators.

The law firm of Reiff and Bily has handled many amusement park accident cases, and yet the enforcement of these safety regulations is spotty despite the volume of rules and amount of unreported amusement park and water park accidents. Many industries escape regulatory scrutiny and it comes as no shock that catastrophic accidents occur when safety protocols are not followed and enforced. Rules and regulations without enforcement are meaningless and if the rules and regulations provide a mechanism for enforcement, individuals or corporations in positions of power often think (as demonstrated by their action or non-action) that they are above these rules and think that they can escape liability by the use of a creative lawyer or legal system which fails to enforce said rules and regulations. If our system chooses to ignore rules and regulations, it fosters a system where it is easier for individuals and corporations to become and remain corrupt then to remain honest.

I have always believed that laws not enforced cease to be laws, and rights not defended may wither away. I believe that the courtroom with proper legal representation makes equals of all men and that an injured victim must ensure that laws are followed and enforced. While catastrophic injury and personal injury lawyers will continue to be bashed by corporations and insurance companies who continue to delay, deny, and defend rightful claims, I for one understand that enforcement of laws and prosecution of wrongdoers are necessary to protect the public and promote order which is the first requisite of liberty and justice.

Last weekend unfortunately witnessed yet another preventable amusement attraction accident which critically injured a 4-year-old at the Louisiana State Fair. While the official State Fire Marshall report blames operator error, perhaps there may be more to the story.

According to news sources 4-year old Sheldon Lewis was trapped under a ride for 30 minutes when a toddler accidentally activated the amusement ride’s control panel after the operator left the ride in idle and left the operation key in place while he was unloading children. At first glance it appears that the cause of the accident was an unauthorized person who flipped the control switch energizing the ride while the operator left the ride in idle to unload other children. Our hearts, thoughts, and prayers go out to the family of this young victim, and we would suggest that they contact an experienced amusement park accident lawyer to conduct an independent investigation which may reveal additional causes or factors of this amusement accident and perhaps reveal manufacturing or design defects in the actual amusement attraction. Whenever children are involved, as is the case with so many amusement park attractions, there should be safety switches and overrides in place to prevent an accident such as this from happening.

All too many times, as an experienced amusement accident attorney, I find that state and local officials are not well trained in the technical aspects of amusement operations and fail to investigate beyond the obvious. Amusement park, water park, carnival, and state fair accidents will continue to injure children and adults until there is a uniform governmental authority regulating the maintenance, inspection, and operating procedures of many amusement parks and state fairs. Most state agencies are not properly motivated to insure safety and have an inherent conflict of interest with those who contribute so much economic welfare to a local area. Most state and local amusement inspection bureaus lack budget resources and technical experience necessary to carry out proper safety checks and properly investigate accidents.

Unfortunately, as an amusement park accident attorney, I have discovered many improper practices taking place in the amusement park industry with regard to accident investigation. I fully believe that until the federal government takes greater steps to regulate amusement park safety, it is up to dedicated amusement park accident lawyers to fight for consumer safety and protection where many amusement park operators and amusement attraction manufacturers continue to place profitability ahead of safety concerns. The amusement park industry requires more stringent regulation on a national level.

For over three decades, the experienced amusement park and water park accident attorneys of Reiff and Bily have worked with a skilled team of independent investigators and experts to carefully represent the interests of those injured, maimed, or killed as a result of an amusement park or water park accident. We always offer a free, no obligation consultation and always believe that customer safety should always take priority over profitability.

The law firm of Reiff & Bily has joined forces with the Beasley Firm and together the Beasley Reiff Law Group now offers for free “My Lawyer - Travels With Me” iPhone and Android application to help Pennsylvania residents who are involved in a catastrophic accident.

The law firm of Reiff & Bily and the Beasley Firm are two nationally recognized law firms dedicated to serving those who have been catastrophically injured or wrongful death due to defective products, medical malpractice, premise liability, and amusement park or water park accidents. Together our lawyers have been awarded over $2 billion dollars in verdicts and settlements since the mid-1950's.

Our new “My Lawyer - Travels With Me” application will provide all of the tools to those injured in an accident to take timely and lawful action in order to protect their legal interests and financial future.

What started out as an evening event with laughter, smiles, cider, and ginger snaps for a large family group ended up as a frightful hayride adventure resulting in broken bones, bruises, neck and back injuries when the seats and trailer being pulled by the truck broke apart. One of the young ladies was pinned underneath the side of the trailer that fell. According to one of the parties, the trailer had a shaky feel to it and as it gained speed going down the hill seemed to disintegrate.

Haunted hayrides seem innocuous and innocent to those of us who welcome Fall and look forward “Kodak” moments with the kids. Unfortunately, dangers that lurk about hayrides are not limited to those dressed in costumes attempting to scare the daylights out of you. The real dangers lie in defectively manufactured, designed and maintained trailers, that are covered with hay and blankets, and often overloaded when they carry the hay riders. Many times hayrides are operated by profit driven individuals or businesses who fail to understand that safety of the rider is paramount to profitability. Hayride operators owe a duty to their riders to properly maintain and inspect the trailer, seats, and railings, as well as provide proper and safe control and supervision of the riders. Many times the truck is being operated by someone with a curious or questionable background and if they take a sharp turn or make a sudden stop or travel too quickly down a hill, there may be an accident waiting to happen. According to news reports, this past weekend many hayride accidents occurred throughout the United States due to failure to have proper safety restraints or restrictions and governance.

Our hearts, thoughts, and prayers go out to those injured in hayride accidents. While I don’t wish to take the fun out of life, I just want you to make sure that before you go on a hayride, do a little bit of due diligence and recognize that accidents do happen. Make sure the facility has an excellent record of success and safety and don’t be afraid to ask questions.

The experienced hayride and amusement accident and premise liability lawyers of Reiff & Bily have evaluated thousands of cases involving catastrophic injuries, broken arms, and unfortunately wrongful deaths, and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for victims and their families. For more information, contact us toll free at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

As a Philadelphia car accident and catastrophic injury lawyer who has been representing catastrophically injured victims, and their families, for more then three decades, I worry that internet and television marketing by many lawyers has led to a high number of victims and their families receiving what many would consider to be improper and inadequate legal representation. Many lawyers just look for an “Easy A”. Too many times attorneys hoping to earn a quick and easy referral fee will spend tens of thousands of dollars even hundreds of thousands of dollars a month designing websites or TV advertising that inaccurately portrays their abilities. It is the goal of these attorneys to make perspective clients believe they are hiring experienced attorneys, who have recovered multi-million dollar verdicts, and are amongst the top car accident lawyers, truck accident lawyers, S.U.V. van rollover lawyers, medical malpractice lawyers, and Products liability lawyers in the field.

Lately I have received an alarming number of phone calls from seriously injured car and truck accident victims who were mislead by what I call a “parasite lawyer”. A “parasite lawyer” is a lawyer who oftentimes lacks experience but attempts to conceal this by purchasing “black hat” internet links and creating embellished website content to make prospective clients believe they are hiring an experienced lawyer or law firm to represent their legal interests when in reality they are hiring a lawyer who simply thereafter refers their case to another attorney for a fee. I call this the “Easy A” system whereby an inexperienced attorney, or an attorney who has no interest in representing you or your loved ones, tacks a fee onto your recovery for doing nothing more then referring your case to another attorney. Frequently many of these marketing attorneys operate their websites from out of state and have creative advertising joint and cooperative ventures with other lawyers and law firms creating the illusion that they are something more then they really are. Always pay attention to the disclaimers and small print at the bottom or end of the advertisement as it quickly passes you by.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident, truck accident, tractor trailer accident, bus accident, boat accident, S.U.V roll over accident, 15 passenger van rollover accident, amusement park accidents, premise liability accident, slip and fall accident, burned in a fire, bitten or attacked by a dog, the victim of inadequate security, falsely imprisoned, sexually assaulted, injured on a cruise ship, injured on a plane, in a construction accident or injured as a result of a defective product or medical malpractice you may be eligible to recover for your injuries.

As an experienced and highly rated Pennsylvania Super Lawyer with decades of experience, whose law firm has handled and collected hundreds of millions of dollars in recoveries for catastrophically injured victims, and their families, as well as those who have sustained wrongful deaths, I strongly advise that you personally interview the attorney who will be handling your legal case. Do not be afraid to ask for references. Make sure that he or she is regularly available to meet and speak with you about your case as it develops. Make sure your case is not being handed over to a paralegal or newly graduated lawyer who might lack the required experience. Inquire whether or not the lawyer has ever had any disciplinary issues or is even licensed to practice law in your state. Inquire about independent and non biased reviews of your lawyer from third party ranking or rating organization. Check the attorney's ranking on Avvo or the Martindale-Hubble record of standing. Never be afraid to get a second opinion from another lawyer if you don't like what you are hearing or don't feel comfortable as the case develops.

After all you only get one bite at the apple, and the selection of your lawyer may be one of the most important lifetime decisions that you will ever make.
Chance will always favor the prepared mind.

I have been researching, investigating, and litigating amusement park accidents, water park accidents, and hayride accidents for over three decades. I have been attacked by many individuals stating that I am nothing but a greedy lawyer taking the fun out of life. Many individuals today who are riding on safer amusement rides or using safer products quickly point the finger at lawyers and without the fight of dedicated lawyers for consumer safety and protection many products manufacturers, or amusement park operators and amusement manufacturers would still be placing profitability ahead of safety concerns.

When I meet with parents of children who were catastrophically injured or died on an amusement ride or hayride and the owner/operator points the finger at an innocent child when in fact the amusement or attraction was improperly maintained, improperly inspected, or was operated by an individual with a questionable background who was improperly trained, I am astonished to see a public relations campaign attacking lawyers who only get paid if they are able to prove fault or negligence and win a case. I am astonished and surprised to read negative posts on blogs by people who don’t have a clue as to what really happened and who most probably would also seek legal representation and an independent investigation if they or their child was catastrophically injured or killed.

Our experienced amusement park and theme park accident attorneys always work only on a contingent fee basis and only charge a fee if we win the case. Many amusement parks claim that they regulate themselves and have proper motivation to insure safety and many state agencies that regulate amusement parks don’t have the budgets or technical expertise necessary to properly do their jobs. In fact, many theme parks and amusement park operators claim that state and local legislators lack budget resources and technical experience to carry out proper safety checks and investigate accidents and claim that they can do it better. I believe that if an amusement park or water park is operating safely and taking all steps to insure that amusement ride accidents do not occur, they should not be so afraid of a lawyer double checking the system. After all, a contingent fee amusement park and theme park accident lawyer will not take the case or get paid if, in fact, it can be determined that the owners and operators did nothing wrong. For those who complain that lawyers are taking the fun out of life and always blame the victims. Think about how you would feel if you were catastrophically injured or your child was killed at a theme park or amusement park that was said to be safe and carefully hid defects and problems from the public.

Checks and balances are a good thing.

According to news sources, state officials in Florida agreed to spare Lego Land Theme Park from safety oversight due to the fact that it qualifies for a 22-year exemption that was initially written into Florida law for Walt Disney World and other theme parks. Accordingly, this will make Lego Land the fourth park owner in Florida to operate free of state ride safety regulation. The others are noted to be Walt Disney Company, NBC Universal, Sea World, and Busch Gardens, Tampa Bay. A Lego Land spokesman noted that “Within our industry, it is common practice for theme parks to govern themselves as far as ride inspections go.”

Under Florida law, if a theme park has a minimum of a thousand employees, they are exempt from the state inspection and permit requirements. Florida law requires exempt parks to employ full time in-house safety inspectors and to file affidavits with the state certifying that each of the rides has been inspected.

As an experienced amusement park and theme park accident attorney who has investigated and prosecuted a good number of amusement park accidents involving catastrophic injuries and death, I question the validity or integrity of the amusement park industry claims that they have proper motivation to take safety precautions due to the fact that negative publicity creates a public backlash which affects their profitability and stress that the state should focus on traveling fairs or carnivals rather than larger theme parks that are more sophisticated. Director of Maintenance of Lego Land stated that the parks in-house inspections will go well beyond what would otherwise be conducted by the state and he is quoted as saying, “I think we have more expertise. We surpass what the state is asking as far as inspections.” Lego Land also claims that it will contract with a third party recreational engineering company that will conduct certain types of tests and submit required documentation to the state.



Continue reading "When Roller Coasters and Other Rides Open At A Theme Park Next Month, They Won’t Have To Undergo Any State Safety Inspections - Amusement Park Attorney Weighs In" »

It’s the fall season and many churches, schools, and farms will be sponsoring hayrides. The normal hayride environment and atmosphere should lead to thoughts of smiles, laughter, cider and warm childhood memories for parents and children. Unfortunately, as an experienced defective trailer lawyer and hayride accident lawyer, what many individuals do not recognize is that there is a lack of safety standards and regulations for trailers of all kinds including hayrides which slip through many government safety and regulatory loopholes mostly because these events are sponsored on private property. In many cases there is no safety regulation at all!

Just last weekend six people were injured in a hayride accident when horses pulling a hayride were spooked and took off in different directions. One of the individuals, a 51-year old woman, sustained critical injuries and was helivaced to a hospital in Boston. Drivers of the wagon lost control of the hay wagon and horses broke free causing many passengers to fall off. In a separate hayride accident on the same weekend at a Michigan farm market, a woman fell off the hay wagon and was run over by it or was trampled while leading the wagon.

Every year our experienced Pennsylvania defective trailer lawyers and hayride accident lawyers learn of catastrophic accidents involving the death of innocent children and their parents because many people frankly do not understand the risks that accompany hayrides. Most hayrides are makeshift and although the operators claim that an accident was a freak occurrence, this is often not the case.

As an experienced Pennsylvania amusement park accident and hayride accident lawyer, I believe that many hayrides are accidents waiting to happen when proper control mechanisms are not in place, and when accidents do occur, the injuries are normally quite significant because of the number of people involved and the size and weight of the equipment. Many times these accidents are the result of inadequate supervision, improper training of ride operators, defective trailer design, inadequate site and safety crowd control.

If you or a loved one has been involved in a hayride accident, you should always speak to an experienced and accomplished hayride and amusement accident attorney. The accomplished hayride and amusement park accident lawyers of Reiff & Bily have successfully represented thousands of personal injury clients for catastrophic injuries since 1979 and have recently joined forces with the Beasley Firm to create the Beasley Reiff Law Group. Together our attorneys have been awarded over $2 billion dollars since 1957 representing the interests of those catastrophically injured or wrongfully killed. As always, we offer a free, no obligation consultation. Contact us toll free at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

All personal injury cases involve unexpected encounters with others which goes the wrong way whether it be a car accident, slip and fall accident, or a product liability claim. As a personal injury accident lawyer who has represented thousands of clients for more then three decades I understand what it is to walk in the client’s shoes.

Many clients have come to my law firm after a frustrating experience with another lawyer who did not communicate in a timely or responsible manner with the client or victim’s family members after they had already been burdened by the financial and emotional pressures of a tragic accident. After the initial meeting, the smiling lawyer dropped off of the “communications map”. When a personal injury lawyer is retained to represent a victim and their family after a catastrophic injury or wrongful death has occurred, it is perhaps one of the most important relationships that will ever be formed between individuals who may not have ever known each other before. It is important that the lawyer and the client communicate and make all major decisions together and have open conversations in a civil professional and cordial fashion. Litigation breeds anxiety in clients. It is important that the attorney communicate realistic ideas about the value of the client’s case and their prospects of success clearly and candidly.

The experienced catastrophic injury and wrongful death lawyers of Reiff & Bily have been litigating legal claims on behalf of injured clients involving medical malpractice, amusement park liability, defective products, and premise liability since 1979 and we always try to carefully explain the elements and issues of each case to all potential clients as well as explaining our burden of proof. As each case is unique, it is impossible to determine the value of a case in the initial stages, and past results do not necessarily guarantee similar results in a similar case. When something bad happens to a client, it is human nature to want to hear good news. However, one must be honest and candid with the client for the client to understand that our civil justice system is based upon concepts of fairness and reasonable restitution. Many clients mistakenly think that because they were in an accident, they are guaranteed a retirement check. This is not always the case.

When you go to a fine and experienced lawyer, it is analogous to going to a tailor to have a suit custom made. Every situation will be different and the experienced lawyer like the experienced tailor knows how to fit the unique facts of the situation in a custom and individual fashion in order to maximize the result. Years of experience not only benefits the client but also serves as an advantage when dealing or negotiating with insurance companies and defense attorneys who understand the character traits and integrity standards maintained by a particular lawyer or law firm.



Continue reading "Why It Pays To Hire An Injury or Accident Lawyer With Decades Of Experience and Who Has Had His Own Injury Claim – No Substitute For Experience and Empathy" »

In mid-August 2011, a portion of the mast of Sea Dragon amusement ride at Morey’s Pier in Wildwood, New Jersey fell onto riders in yet another amusement park accident. Although the mast performed no mechanical or structural function, and was utilized solely as decoration, a danger was obviously presented to thrill seeking riders of the amusement attraction. According to the preliminary report issued by the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs Division and Carnival Amusement Ride Safety, the mast falling was caused by the failure of parent steel that connected the lower and top portions of the mast. The mast is constructed of two pieces of piping/tubing. The top of the mast was constructed with thin wall tubing while the lower portion was constructed of the heavier wall material, the report states that pieces were welded together about halfway up the height of the mast. The top half of the mast, the piece that fell, was sitting on top of the lower half and was welded with a filet weld to the plate. There was significant corrosion on the interior of both the thin walled section of the mast, as well as the plate that was used as a means to connect the lower and upper portion of the mast, the State concluded. “When the material above the weld failed, there was no secondary support to keep the mast from separating and fell”. The broken mast fell upon riders injuring 5 and the State has now only allowed similar rides to operate if the mast is removed.

As an experienced amusement park accident attorney who has handled a number of claims at seashore amusement park and resorts and an experienced sailor who has spent a great deal of time in salt water and ocean environments, I have always expressed concern for metallurgical failure and corrosion in salt air when the natural seaside environment elements comes into contact with metal.

I am concerned that many seashore amusement parks fail to properly inspect and train employees often placing profitability ahead of safety. Our experienced amusement park accident attorneys have investigated and successfully handled a number of claims in amusement and product failure, metallurgical failures due to corrosion, defective product design, and/or inadequate training and maintenance procedures. Safety should always be priority number one when it comes to thrill seekers who come to amusement parks.

The experienced amusement accident lawyers of Reiff & Bily have received top accolades for over three decades of representing catastrophically injured victims and their families who have been wrongful killed as a result of the negligence of others or defective product design or maintenance.

Recently we have joined forces with the legendary Beasley Firm and together our attorneys have been awarded over $2 billion dollars since the mid-1950's. We always offer a free, no obligation consultation. For more information, contact us toll free at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

According to news sources, Morey’s Pier in Wildwood, NJ was the scene of yet another terrible amusement park ride accident. At just after 9 p.m. on Friday, August 19, 2011, emergency response staff responded to a report of a partial amusement ride collapse when the center mast of the sea dragon snapped, injuring five people at Morey’s Mariner’s Landing Pier. This is the second time in two months that young innocent and unsuspecting victims have been injured at a Morey’s Amusement park attraction in Wildwood. Recently 11 year old Abiah Jones tragically fell to her death while riding the Ferris wheel on June 3rd 2011. As one of the attorneys intimately involved in the investigation and litigation of the Abiah Jones death case tragedy, our hearts, thoughts, and prayers go out to the victims, and their families. Once again questions are raised as to the inspection, maintenance and operation procedures maintained by Morey’s. Safety must always be the utmost priority for all amusement park operators. We have repeatedly called for Federal oversight and reporting of amusement park accidents and safety concerns.

The experienced amusement park accident lawyers of Reiff & Bily in conjunction with the. Legendary Philadelphia trial lawyers of the Beasley Firm have joined forces to form the Beasley Reiff Law Group and are currently representing multiple victims of amusement park accidents. We strongly recommend that the victim’s and their family members do not talk to any insurance adjusters or attorneys for Morey’s Pier until they have consulted their own experienced and independent catastrophic injury, wrongful death, or amusement accident lawyer who will independently investigate the incident with experienced safety and Amusement operations experts.

As a top amusement park accident lawyer and top hayride accident lawyer for over three-decades, I am always concerned but not surprised to learn when many innocent and unknowing victims are seriously injured as a result of a hayride accident.

Recently 44 members of a church group were injured during a hayride accident in Washington state when a tractor pulling a trailer jack-knifed ejecting passengers onto the roadway. According to news sources, the tractor was heading down the steepest hill on Shaw Island, Washington where the hill’s surface material was compacted gravel with a 5% downgrade. The hay bale trailer was loaded with hay and 50 people when the tractor gained speed. According to news sources, the trailer did not have brakes and was literally pushing the tractor down the hill and the front axle of the trailer failed spilling the passengers on the roadway resulting in broken bones, sprains, and lacerations to many of the victims. The accident remains under investigation and the police are also looking into a heavy load of people and logs that were placed in the trailer for seating, together with maintenance records for the tractor and trailer.

Hayrides are quasi-amusement rides and in my humble opinion as a hayride and defective trailer accident lawyer who has investigated and litigated these claims, many hayrides are simply accidents waiting to happen when proper control mechanisms are not in place. The operators of hayrides owe the highest duty of care to the passengers on the ride. They are often operated in dark and noisy environments frequently visited by children. The Consumer Product Safety Commission has estimated that a number of serious injuries resulting from hayrides and trailer malfunctions has risen dramatically. Unfortunately most hayrides involve the use of a trailer hitch to a tractor or truck pull and NHTSA has admitted that no standard exists for such trailer hitches. Many state laws, including Pennsylvania, are silent as to the design and construction specification for many of the trailers used in hayrides.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and their families of this accident.

The amusement and hayride accident lawyers of Reiff & Bily always offer a free, no obligation confidential consultation to victims of amusement park accidents and hayride accidents. For more information, contact us toll free at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

On the last day of a Bahama honeymoon, a tragic parasailing accident took the life of a newly wed wife of Victor Rodriguez, age 22. The 22-year old bride Crystal Rodriguez died after her parasailing harness apparently snapped while she was being towed sending her plunging more than 200 feet into the sea. Both Crystal and her husband were being towed by a speed boat with a parachute billowing behind them when the accident occurred on the final day of their 10 day honeymoon. Her broken hearted husband was wheeled onto a jet on a gurney with oxygen after spending the last five weeks with extensive internal injuries in a hospital in Orlando, Florida.

Our hearts and prayers go out to the victims and their families and as an amusement accident and parasailing accident attorney, accidents like this are always the most hard hitting.

Parasailing has been defined as a sport or recreational activity where one soars while harnessed to a parasail. The words “while harnessed” are the key words. Fortunately more than one can imagine, many people are wrongfully killed or tragically injured due to faulty equipment of the owner or operator or the parasail operation’s negligence. There is very little regulation or oversight of many of the companies that operate parasailing operations and they tend to operate for profit instead of safety.

Most victims who survive parasailing accidents have their lives forever changed due to injuries such as traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, quadriplegia, paraplegia, or even wrongful death due to a defective product or negligence on behalf of the company providing the parasailing service.

Continue reading "Parasailing Accident During Bahama Honeymoon Results In Death Of Wife And Serious Injuries To a Broken Hearted Husband " »

In recent weeks, two catastrophic deaths took the life of two special Americans. One an 11-year old honor student at Morey’s Pier in Wildwood and the second an American war hero, Sgt. James Hackemer, 29, who died on the Ride Of Steel roller coaster at Darien Lake Theme Amusement Park located east of Buffalo, NY. Hackemer had lost both his legs in a roadside bomb explosion while deployed to Iraq in 2008 and had to be assisted on the coaster. Just 11 days after turning eleven, Abiah Jones was on a school trip to a Wildwood, NJ amusement park to celebrate students who attained honorary scholastic achievement. In both cases, the question arises why park employees of the respective amusement parks let these individuals on the rides, and both incidents have sparked a renewed effort to place fixed site theme parks under federal regulatory oversight.

U.S. Rep. Edward Markey (D-MA7) stated that local and state regulators who currently oversee amusement parks may lack budget resources and technical experience to carry out effective safety checks and investigate accidents. Rep. Markey plans to introduce legislation which he has proposed multiple times before the make fixed site amusement parks subject to regulatory authority of the CPSC, a federal consumer protection body, in an attempt to prevent future injuries. Owners of amusement parks as well as industry lobbyists oppose the legislation. Safety should be the number one concern, and as an experienced product liability and amusement park accident attorney who has fought for decades on behalf of catastrophically injured victims and those wrongfully killed due to the negligence of others and/or defectively manufactured and designed products. I believe safety should never be an option, and I believe that Federal oversight would most likely go a long way towards improving amusement park safety and question why the amusement industry is so opposed to it if they claim they are already operating safely and taking all steps to insure that accidents do not occur. I for one believe that the proposed check and balance legislation can only benefit rather than have a detrimental effect.

In the beginning of June, unfortunately, Abiah Jones, age 11, tragically fell to her death at Morey’s Pier in Wildwood, New Jersey. On Friday evening, July 8, 2011 war hero, Sgt. James T. Hackemer, 29, who lost both his legs in Iraq died after falling from a ride on a steel roller coaster at the Darien Lake Theme Park resort.

As an experienced amusement park accident attorney who has been intimately involved investigating and litigating amusement park cases for over three decades, I am extraordinarily concerned that the amusement park industry is one of the most highly unregulated industries, yet we entrust our children to thrill rides confidently assuming that they are safe and have been inspected. Massachusetts Congressman Edward J. Markey notes that he has been trying for years to pass a bill entitled The National Amusement Park Rides Safety Act that would close the number of loopholes regarding oversight of amusement park rides. The Bill calls for restoration of the Consumer Product Safety Commissions ability to oversee fixed site amusement rides, a job that the Commission had until 1981 when an amendment to the Consumer Product Safety Act was passed removing language that gave the Commission responsibility over its rides. The change would also give the CPSC the authority to investigate accidents in amusement parks and then allow the CPSC to share information with operators of the same rides in other states before accidents occur and develop plans to correct problems and reduce risks of harm. The CPSC would also be able to compile comprehensive safety information for consumers.

In a tightened economy, many amusement parks seem to be taking short cuts on safety and putting profitability first. I for one believe that safety should never be an option and yet many amusement park owners and operators who are members of the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions have issued several statements in response to Congressman Markey’s bill stating that it is not necessary as the Bill “seeks to address a problem that does not exist”. The International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions cites the industry’s outstanding safety record, and as an experienced amusement park accident attorney, I am well aware that many accidents that occur at amusement parks are not reported and those accident situations that are resolved are generally resolved in a confidential manner. In my opinion, many amusement parks operate in an atmosphere where politicians and inspectors seem to take protective measures in favor of the amusement parks due to the fact that they contribute so much to local economies.

As I have been intimately involved as an amusement park accident attorney in several amusement park accidents where investigators found no fault, it has been quite mind boggling when our own independent experts perform an independent and non-biased analysis that seems to be completely at odds with those of the park with the amusement park owner and operator. One must ask themselves if these rides are so safe why not make them more transparent and promote the Bill which would insure their safety. My own personal opinion is that in many states, the situation is not so dissimilar to the fox guarding the hen house.

Continue reading "Experienced Amusement Park Accident Attorney Suggests That It Is Time For Lawmakers To Close The Loopholes In View Of Recent Amusement Park Accidents And Deaths - Calls For Transparency In Reporting Requirements" »

As an experienced Pennsylvania swimming pool, drowning, and water accident attorney who also has investigated many amusement and water park catastrophic injury and wrongful death cases over the last three decades, I am always sad to learn of news concerning the death of a young child.

On Wednesday, July 6, 2011, a six year old boy was killed after jumping into a swimming pool at Knoebels Crystal Pool located in Elysburg, North Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. According to news reports, life guards found the boy under water and pulled him from the pool and performed CPR. He was then transported to Geisinger Medical Center where he later died. The cause of death is not known and is under investigation. Our hearts and prayers go out to the family of the 6-year old. According to news sources, the boy was said to be in the shallow end of the pool, jumping in and out of the water.

It appears that the summer of 2011 is unfortunately proving to be one quantified by catastrophic injuries and wrongful deaths at local amusement parks, swimming pools, and water parks, as well as drownings at private and public swimming pools.

As an experienced Pennsylvania water park, amusement park, and swimming pool accident attorney, I am curious why the child was not spotted sooner and whether or not the water park had proper supervision and training of life guards and safety personnel, whether the pool was properly maintained, and whether or not there were breaches of any of the federal and state guidelines concerning the operation of the swimming pool and amusement attractions. We offer our deepest condolences to the family of the victim for their tragic and heartbreaking loss and we ask that all of our readers keep this grieving family in their thoughts and prayers.

Continue reading "Boy Dies In Pennsylvania Amusement Park Swimming Pool Accident - Experienced Pennsylvania Swimming Pool and Water Accident Attorney Weighs In" »

A school trip to a water park by 9-year old Jeremy Molumba ended tragically after the young boy was swept toward the deep end by surging water in a wave pool. According to news sources, a classmate tried to grip his friends hand before a second wave pushed him below the water surface. According to sources, the 4th grader remained at the bottom of the pool for more than one hour before anyone came to his rescue.

As an experienced amusement park and water park accident attorney, the first thing that came to my mind was where were the lifeguards or other supervisors whose job it is to maintain safe watch over the guests of the park? The guests of the park are identified legally as business invitees and are owed the highest duty of care. Other issues should be explored such as: Was the water cloudy? Was the water so cloudy or dirty that they could not see the child laying on the bottom? Was the drainage and pump system working properly or was there too much force and suction which forced the young man under the water and to the bottom? Individuals in wave pools regularly sustain injuries ranging from lacerations, bruises, brain injuries, neck and back injuries, drownings, paraplegia, quadriplegia, and sometimes death. Many times they are the result of slippery surfaces, polluted water, and improper supervision. When water park employees, managers, or operators are negligent, it is all too easy for an otherwise innocent and unknowing individual to get in trouble and sustain a catastrophic injury by submersion or suffer death by drowning. Unfortunately many water parks are not currently regulated by the Consumer Product Safety Commission and many water park and amusement park owners vehemently oppose federal oversight of safety regulations and reporting that many legislators seek to give the CPSC authority over water park and federal theme parks. Many water parks are not in conformance with the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act which requires installing drain covers that meet ANSA/ASNE A112.19.8-27 standards on every drains or grates. It also requires the installation of an automatic shut off system, drainage gravity system, and a safety vacuum system, suction limiting vent system, or drain disabler. Many times loud music in a pool area or in a wave pool area prevents lifeguards from hearing calls of distress and many times the bottom of the wave pool is slippery due to the presence of algae. Crowd control issues and the adequate amount and training of lifeguards and supervisors and maintenance staff is an essential element of safety. It has been noted that there has been a sharp increase of drownings among children up through the age of 12 and although amusement parks and water park attractions appear to be safe, when you combine negligent supervision, premise liability defects, as well as a potential for defective design and manufacturing defects, many accidents occur that could have easily been avoided.

If you or a loved one has sustained an injury in anamusement park or water park, or has suffered a drowning or water submersion injury, the experienced amusement park and water park lawyers of the www.beasleyreifflawgroup.com offer a free, no obligation confidential consultation. We have been stalwarts of consumer and amusement and water park safety for over half a century and our attorneys and our legal team has been awarded over $2 billion since 1958. Contact us toll free at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

According to a news release from Morey’s Pier in Wildwood, NJ a “young female” was injured as a result of an incident on one of the largest ferris wheels on the East Coast of the United States. Early news reports are indicating that witnesses state that she unfortunately died as a result of her injuries. The young female victim was flown by helicopter to a local hospital. A spokesperson for Morey’s Pier noted that the exact cause of the accident has not been determined and an investigation is underway.

Our hearts, thoughts, and prayers go out to the young victim, her family and friends and as an experienced amusement park accident attorney I would welcome an independent third party investigation and evaluation of what went wrong.

The lawyers of Reiff & Bily in conjunction with the lawyers of the Beasley Firm have joined forces to form the Beasley Reiff Law Group and are currently representing multiple victims of amusement park accidents at the New Jersey seashore. We also recommend the victim’s surviving family not talk to any insurance adjusters or attorneys for Morey’s Pier until they have consulted their own experienced catastrophic injury, wrongful death, or amusement accident lawyer who will independently fight for their rights and look out for their best interests. Many times the corporations that run large amusement parks have powerful legal defense teams on their side and will have their insurance people work on a case right away to protect their interests rather than those of the victims. It is important for amusement park victims not to sign any papers or agreements without consulting an experienced amusement park lawyer first.

As an experienced amusement park accident lawyer, I have a number of questions and concerns. Was this ride accident the result of negligence on the part of the amusement park? Was the ride maintained and inspected as required by state laws? Was the ride accident the result of defective parts or components of the ride? Was there an electrical, mechanical, or metallurgical failure? Was there a safety or system failure? Were the operators properly trained and given background checks? Was the accident caused by operator error? Depending on where fault lies, the appropriate parties can be held responsible for the accident and resulting injuries. An experienced Pennsylvania and New Jersey amusement park accident attorney will diligently investigate this claim with the best third party experts and accident reconstructionists to insure the victim’s rights are protected and that they receive just compensation for injuries and losses. For a free, no obligation consultation contact us online at www.reiffandbily.com or toll free at 1-800-421-9595. The skilled catastrophic injury and wrongful death lawyers of the Beasley Reiff Law Group have been awarded billions of dollars since 1958 representing the interests of catastrophically injured victims and their families.

Summer is just around the corner and amusement parks are advertising rides offering “maximum fear”, “ultimate thrill”, “the tallest”, the fastest roller coaster”, “pulse quickening vertical drops”, and “white knuckled adventures while standing upside down”. It seems that many amusement park operators are constantly upgrading their offerings in the competition to attract new customers and increase profitability, but this experienced amusement park accident lawyer and consumer safety advocate asks at what cost to safety concerns?

Frankly, when I grew up in the 1960's, the most exciting rides were the salt and pepper shaker or the scrambler. Today I read about rides with “minimum confinement” and “maximum fear”. In the last year, there were many stories concerning amusement park disasters around the world. As an experienced amusement park accident lawyer, I probably see the worst scenarios involving catastrophic injuries and death that one could imagine and my sensors are alerted when I read about a new ride that is “scarier but less confining”. A visit to the website www.rideaccidents.com reveals just how dangerous many amusement attractions can be.

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission over 7,000 people will visit emergency rooms in the United States this year due to injuries sustained in an amusement ride accident. Children have the highest risk of falls or ejections mid-ride. Unfortunately, the amusement ride industry is not regulated by uniform standards and reporting of accidents is poor to non-existent with many cover ups. Most amusement park safety is governed by local laws in jurisdictions where the amusement park has strong political clout and hence, laws may be one-sided in favor of the amusement facility. Rides at amusement and water parks are exempt from federal safety oversight. Surprisingly, only 24 states have implemented a program for amusement park accident investigations and 11 states rely on insurance companies or 3rd party inspectors to audit safety compliance issues. Many states have no established regulations for amusement ride safety.

In one of our cases, a woman and her son were on a coaster ride when the chain snapped while pulling the car up a steep incline. The insurance providers and adjusters were operated by the same company that operated the unsafe ride. In the same case, the amusement park was located in a municipality and state that had strong laws favoring the entertainment and amusement industry and an independent investigation revealed that the amusement park was a major contributor to the local political machine.

As an experienced amusement park accident lawyer, I welcome stricter federal and state standards and safety regulations for U.S. amusement rides and hope that we are not pushing the envelope too far in exchange for profits when it comes to the safety of newly designed amusement attractions.

On July 16, 2010, a gentleman was standing in line with thousands of other adventure seekers at the Calgary Stampede about to board the Scorpion amusement ride. The Scorpion holds 42 people with arms that splay outward from a central spinning hub and at the end of each arm sits a wheel of 7 cars attached front to back. When the ride is started the arms lift, the wheels tilt, and passengers spin in a counterclockwise direction as the center hub circles in the opposite direction. The operating manual for the ride instructs the operator at the control panel to start the ride at a slow speed and during the first revolution, he is supposed to check to make sure that all the passengers are seated with lap bars down and locked after which the cars speed up.

On the summer evening of July 16, 2010 just about everything went wrong. According to news sources what witnesses described was a noise that sounded like a car accident. The engineer’s report stated that a minimum amount of welding material was all that was holding the arm to the wheel and the ride snapped apart. Visible cracks and stress fractures had formed on the 17-year ride that was manufactured in Britain. It was stated that the owner of the ride should have shut down the ride, inspected the minimally welded metal and replaced it, but instead the expert report stated “the repair was so poorly done that the original cracks still remained and portions of the crack extended beyond the end of the repair”. Apparently, a report concluded that the owner’s inspection subsequent to the weld repair did not look at the failure area closely at all.

As an experienced amusement park and fairground accident attorney, I am well aware that many jurisdictions have different rules and regulations that govern traveling carnivals and tracking detailed safety records for the amusements is nearly impossible. Amusement park and carnival owners almost always blame the rider claiming that they disobeyed the rules and fight claims in the most aggressive fashion. While amusement park accidents are more frequent than one would imagine, it is important that municipalities and state governments maintain an aggressive approach with regard to inspection and maintenance of the amusement rides with strict penalties. When an accident happens on a fast moving amusement park ride, it is more than likely that the injuries will be serious and will call for the attention of experienced amusement park accident attorneys and investigators familiar with the tactics of amusement park owners and operators.

Continue reading "What Happens When Something Goes Wrong At A Carnival Or Midway Ride - Who Is Responsible?" »

According to news sources, a woman claiming she suffered emotional distress while attempting to help a boy who fatally fell from a roller coaster filed a lawsuit against the amusement park. The victim claims that she suffered emotional distress and anxiety when she attempted to help a boy killed on a roller coaster ride at an amusement park. In the incident, a 3-year old boy fell from a roller coaster at an indoor family entertainment center. The autopsy revealed that the young boy sustained multiple fatal injuries when he was struck by a roller coaster car and from falling from the roller coaster. The young boy was riding what was described as a “very small” Python Pit roller coaster when he freed himself from the safety bar and became wedged between two cars and then fell three to four feet from the moving roller coaster. The suit alleges that the observing victim was waiting in the “zone of danger” with her children when the anxiety happened causing her to sustain emotional distress and anxiety. The lawsuit further claimed that the Go Bananas Amusement Park failed to have an attendant operating the machine at all times, operated the roller coaster ride too fast, and didn’t have proper harnesses to secure the children. It also alleged that the amusement facility did not have an emergency stop on the ride. The issue presented in this lawsuit poses an interesting query of whether or not a person can recover damages because they were a witness to the accident.

As an experienced Pennsylvania wrongful death, catastrophic injury, and amusement park accident lawyer, I can state this is one of the most confusing areas of law for personal injury practitioners in Pennsylvania and in many other jurisdictions, and an experienced lawyer must generally investigate the following issues:

What are the basic elements of the cause of action?

Was there a “contemporaneous observation of the accident?

Must the plaintiff actually see the impact between the tortfeasor and the victim, or is
it sufficient that the plaintiff has some immediate sensory impression of the accident?

Must the plaintiff actually witness an accident to another person or is it enough to prove
that the defendant committed some negligent act without causing the accident which
caused emotional distress to plaintiff.

Is it necessary for claimant to show that emotional distress produced some physical
manifestation.

Is it necessary for claimant to seek medical treatment to legitimize the claim of emotional
distress.

Is it necessary to produce expert testimony or causation.

Continue reading "Does A Witness To A Fatal Roller Coaster Accident Have An Individual Cause of Action?" »

On Saturday, April 2, 2011 a three-year-old Dolton boy died after falling from the Python Pit roller coaster at Go Bananas.

The young boy, who was riding the roller coaster with his twin brother, was somehow freed from the safety bar and stood up while the ride was still moving. The movement of the roller coaster caused the boy to fall backwards, hit his head, and then fall 10 feet to his death. He suffered a traumatic brain injury and was pronounced dead at the scene. It is believed that his mother and father witnessed the horrific tragedy and ran to help, but could not.

As an experienced Philadelphia amusement park accident lawyer, I am all too familiar with the fact that seemingly safe rides are often unknowingly dangerous forms of entertainment for riders. Amusement park owners at places such as Six Flags Great Adventure, Dorney Park, Morey’s Pier, Hershey Park, and Gillian's Wonderland Pier always advertise the newest roller coaster or thrill ride to increase popularity and revenue and many times the new thrill rides are not safe and cause many deaths as well as catastrophic injuries such as traumatic brain injuries, paralysis, quadriplegia, paraplegia, broken bones, broken legs, broken noses, whiplash, or brain hemorrhage. Many times, amusement park owners will fight these claims. It is important to consult with an experienced amusement park accident and wrongful death lawyer. The experienced Pennsylvania amusement park accident firm of Reiff & Bily as of January 1, 2011 has joined forces with the Beasley Firm and together have over $2 billion awarded on behalf of injured victims just like you or a loved one. For a free, no obligation consultation, contact us online at www.reiffandbily.com or toll free at 1-800-421-9595.

A peaceful Sunday afternoon picnic and barbecue kicking off the spring season in Charleston, South Carolina turned into a horrific scene of tragedy when a miniature train overturned in an amusement park. Benjamin Easler, age 6, was on the train with his father, Dr. Dwight Easler, a local pastor, and his mother and two brothers. The miniature train turned over and Benjamin was fatally injured. The accident happened at approximately 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 19, 2011, an hour after the train amusement had opened on the first day of the amusement park season. What appeared to be a simple and innocent amusement ride resulted in the ultimate nightmare. Basically, the track of the miniature train had circled the park’s playground area with speeds of no more than 10 mph. The train had been in operation since 1953 with no major accidents. The train derailed and came off the tracks, overturned, and people were thrown from the train. Sources indicate that pictures of the mangled wreckage showed huge chunks of metal lying around as if the train had been split in two. Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and their families.

Unbelievably I was a witness to a very similar accident a few summers back when a few children were killed as a result of another seemingly innocent amusement ride malfunction in Ocean City, New Jersey. In the Ocean City, New Jersey amusement park accident, the cars also jumped the tracks resulting in the deaths of several young and innocent children. Unfortunately with the downturn in the economy many theme parks have cut corners on safety, emphasizing profitability instead. Amusement park and carnival accidents often involve complex theories of law regarding experience and technical expertise. The families of the victims would be well served to contact an experienced amusement park accident attorney to fully investigate their cases to determine what parties are responsible and whether or not there was a product defect. Our experienced Pennsylvania-based amusement park accident lawyers are well aware of the new thrill rides, as well as the simplest of rides, are not safe and cause all too many catastrophic injuries and fatalities. We are also well aware that because of the high number of claims, amusement park owners aggressively fight claims.

Recently the Pennsylvania amusement park lawyers of Reiff & Bily have joined forces with the lawyers of the Beasley Firm to form the Beasley Reiff Law Group. Our experienced amusement park attorneys have been awarded over $2 billion dollars since 1955 and have secured hundreds of settlements, verdicts, and awards in excess of $1 million dollars. For a free, no obligation consultation contact us online at www.reiffandbily.com or toll free at 800-421-9595.

As an amusement park and theme park accident attorney who has handled some significant amusement park accident cases since 1979, a recent case highlighted what I have known for a long time - namely the safety of our children and unsuspecting innocent individuals is often left to the eyes, ears, and cautions of ride operators that are not always on the ball or paying attention.

In the case at hand, ride operator Charles Carnell, entered a no plea contest and was convicted on a felony charge (however he will not serve any prison time) due to the fact that when Mr. Carnell was the ride operator at Wisconsin’s Dells Thrill Park then 12-year old Teagan Marti was accidentally dropped 100 feet to the ground and severely injured. According to the police, Mr. Carnell failed to communicate with a co-worker that the ride’s safety net was ready to catch Marti before releasing the girls. The operator Carnell told investigators he “just blacked out at the time”. Under the plea, Carnell paid $200 in court costs and also had to submit a DNA sample. A seemingly small price to pay compared to the damage sustained by the 13-year old victim and her family. Operator error is often a cause for many amusement park accidents. Many times, particularly with the downturn in the economy, high school and college students or foreign exchange individuals working on a temporary basis are entrusted to operate amusement rides with minimal training. Many of the cases that the lawyers of the Pennsylvania amusement park accident law firm of Reiff & Bily we have found operators to be talking on cell phones, trying to pick up woman, under the influence of intoxicating substances including but not limited to drugs and/or alcohol. With the downturn in the economy, we have found that many theme parks and amusement parks have cut corners on safety and no longer properly supervise or staff unload positions of rides.

The accomplished Pennsylvania amusement park attorneys of Reiff & Bily have recently joined forces with the legendary Beasley Firm and collectively together have been awarded in excess of $2 billion dollars since 1957. Our aggressive amusement park injury legal team will bring wrongdoers to justice and achieve the best results for you and your family. If you have been injured at an amusement park or theme park, please contact one of our experienced amusement park attorneys immediately at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

A spinning coaster roller coaster ride with revolving cars resulted in the catastrophic fatal fall and death of a 34-year old man. According to news sources, the roller coaster ride occurred at Tokio Dome City attractions. The spinning roller coaster reaches a speed of 39.6 kph as it cruises a 305 meter long track. The victim was believed to have fallen from a height of 7 to 8 meters. This is the third major amusement park accident to hit the park in three months.

In another catastrophic amusement park accident, a 26-year old female worker lost three fingers while checking wires and motors at the top of the popular Tower Hacker amusement attraction. The Tower Hacker is an 80 meter tall tower that lifts riders to the top and lets them free fall vertically at almost a 100 kph.

In another roller coaster accident in December, parts from the Thunder Dolphin roller coaster injured a small girl on the ground.

As an experienced amusement park accident lawyer, unfortunately I am all too familiar with the fact that seemingly safe rides are often unknowingly dangerous forms of entertainment for families. Amusement park owners always advertise the newest thrill ride or adventure ride to increase popularity and revenue and many times the new thrill rides are not safe and cause many deaths as well as catastrophic injuries including broken bones, broken noses, broken legs, whiplash, brain hemorrhage , paralysis, quadriplegia, and death. Most times, amusement park owners will aggressively fight these claims and it is important to consult with an experienced amusement park accident and death lawyer. The amusement park accident firm of Reiff & Bily as of January 1, 2011 has joined forces with the Beasley Firm and together have been awarded over $2 billion dollars on behalf of their clients with scores of multi-million dollar awards. For a free, no obligation consultation, contact us online at www.reiffandbily.com or toll free at 1-800-421-9595.

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.

Okay, I admit it, I use to be an amusement park and water park junkie and am a water sports freak. However, after practicing catastrophic injury law since 1979 and handling my fair share of amusement park and water park accident cases, I have become a “scaredy cat”. As amusement parks and water parks continue to increase rides that are higher, faster, and more creative than anything you can imagine, the introduction of slicker composite materials and accelerants like water jets and linear induction motors creates outstanding thrills but often at the expense of the safety of unsuspecting thrill seekers. In the last two weeks, we have been contacted by at least a half a dozen individuals who sustained fairly severe and catastrophic injuries which most likely will have permanent consequences. In fact, at one of the water attractions at Six Flags Great Adventure Hurricane Harbor water park, an individual climbed five flights of stairs and then launched into a water ride only to end the ride in severe excruciating pain, completely disabled, and requiring a stretcher and emergency transport to a hospital where he was diagnosed with a spinal fracture and other significant injuries.

Unfortunately new technology and ride designers push the safety envelope in an attempt to deliver what the consumer demands as the ultimate thrill ride. However, in the United States, there is no official source which keeps a complete national record of theme park accidents and in many U.S. states, including Florida, theme parks are not legally required to report accidents involving injury to anyone. In the case at hand, our client did not have medical insurance and the amusement park operator told him that he is responsible for his own medical treatment.

The amusement park accident and water park accident attorneys at Reiff & Bily believe that there should be stricter regulation concerning amusement water park safety and that operators of amusement and theme parks who put profits over safety should be held accountable for the injuries that occur at their theme parks. The experienced Philadelphia amusement park and water park accident attorneys of Reiff & Bily offer a free no obligation consultation have successfully represented thousands of personal injury clients with a successful track record since 1979 recovering hundreds of millions of dollars in damages. Let our aggressive legal team bring the wrongdoers to justice and achieve the best result for your family. For a free, no obligation consultation, please contact us at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

In another seemingly innocent amusement park accident, ten children and adults were hospitalized when an amusement park train flipped over. This incident happened at Tiny Town Amusement Park in Colorado. The initial investigation reveals that the engine portion of the train tipped over followed by several other cars that were carrying visitors to the park. The train moves very slowly and there were 18 people evaluated for injuries, 10 of whom were transported to the hospital.

If you or a loved one has been involved or injured in an amusement park accident, please feel free to contact one of our experienced Philadelphia amusement park accident lawyers at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com for a free evaluation.

As an experienced Pennsylvania amusement park injury lawyer who has witnessed and investigated my fair share of catastrophic amusement park accidents, I was sorry to learn that six people were killed on a brand new thrill ride at a popular Asian amusement park. Nine people were catastrophically injured when the Space Journey Amusement, a dome-like space shuttle simulator plunged 12 meters to the ground with more than 40 people inside the ride. One of the persons who was inside the ride stated that there was a sudden loud boom inside the cabin and then everything went black. A lucky rider who escaped unhurt stated, “There was a power cut when the crash happened and I smelled something burning.” Another rider stated that she made it out without serious injury but recalled a smell of burning rubber and the door was jammed, trapping people inside. Most of the riders were found unconscious and rushed to the hospital.

Forty-four people were on the Space Journey amusement ride, which has a capacity for 48 at the time of the accident. The dome-like device offers a thrill of a rocket launch spinning 360 degrees while going up and down with a 24 meter wide screen providing space scenes. The simulated journey was coming to the end of a five minute routine when all went wrong in this newly designed thrill feature. The ride was designed to hold 48 thrill-seeking riders circularly on a simulator 4 to a row after which the simulator spins while taking riders up and down a height of 12 meters. An engineer thought that the accident was caused by “high acceleration due to gravity.” He explained that the dropping of the simulator can create an extremely high impact force of twice the weight of its five tons.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a Pennsylvania amusement park accident or water park accident, please feel free to contact one of our experienced Pennsylvania amusement park accident lawyers for a free no obligation consultation at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

As an experienced Pennsylvania amusement park lawyer, I have written before and investigated claims involving seemingly innocent inflatable amusements where many unfortunate catastrophic injuries and fatalities have occurred. Recently the death of a child at an amusement park was caused by a jumping castle that was lifted away by strong winds. Unfortunately many parents and children who attend amusement parks are unaware of the hidden dangers and despite minimal warnings posted on rides and amusements, most of the owners and operators of parks are able to escape scott-free after injury causing accidents due to legislation with minimal teeth and failure of government officials to properly monitor and regulate it. Many times inflatable rides are set up on short notice at homes, children’s birthday parties, or other carnivals where the quality of installation and monitoring is minimal. There are virtually no existing laws to determine what safeguards need to be in place before such rides are set up and, worse yet, there are few safety warnings.

As an experienced Pennsylvania amusement park and water park accident attorney, I have received a number of calls concerning amusement park accidents that have never been reported. Since the beginning of May this year, it seems that along with the economic crisis comes a lack of adequate or minimal maintenance and the hiring of uneducated and unqualified personnel to monitor the rides. These issues need to be explored in order to avoid other unnecessary tragedies.

If you or a loved one has been injured in an amusement park or water park accident, please feel free to contact one of our experienced Pennsylvania amusement park and Pennsylvania water park accident lawyers for a free no obligation consultation at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

Dixie Landin Theme Park in Baton Rouge, Louisiana was the scene of a tragic roller coaster accident on Sunday, July 11, 2010 when a woman fell from the “Extreme” roller coaster during a thrill ride. Emergency medical services were dispatched at 4:10 p.m. and the woman identified as 21-year old Lindsey Zeno of Lafayette was pronounced dead at 5:15 p.m. Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers go out to the family of Ms. Zeno.

As experienced amusement park accident and wrongful death lawyers, we are somewhat concerned about lax safety and inspection regulations concerning amusement parks throughout the United States. Interestingly enough, inspectors have not identified a failure in the coaster. However, it is this experienced amusement park accident attorney’s opinion that the family of Ms. Zeno would be best served to seek the services of an experienced roller coaster accident and amusement park accident attorney to investigate this claim to hold any and all responsible parties accountable for their tragic loss of this 21-year old girl. The best and experienced amusement park accident attorneys always offer a free no obligation consultation. Please contact us at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

Inflatable amusement rides that you often see at children’s birthday parties and many times at carnivals often look innocuously safe but can sometimes be one of the most dangerous rides possible. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission more than 31,000 people went to an emergency room after being hurt on inflatable rides between 2003 and 2007. Approximately 85% were children under the age of 15. According to Mike Trippet, an amusement park inspector in New Jersey, one of the few states to regulate inflatable rides, stated “Inflatables are as dangerous as other rides. They have a high rate of accidents.”

As an experienced amusement park accident attorney who has handled cases involving negligence and inflatable rides or amusements, many times the inflatables are set up in a shoddy fashion without proper supervision. A recent tragedy was indicated by the death of 5-year-old Matthew Barnum who was killed by a inflatable park ride where according to news sources there were no employees supervising the ride.

I have gone to children’s birthday parties many times to see children under the age of 4-years-old on these inflatables jumping and frolicking with larger children and believe it or not, sometimes adults. Definitely an unsafe condition is created. As a responsible parent, you must recognize the potential dangers of inflatable rides and be there to supervise all of the jumpers.

If you or a loved one has been involved in an inflatable ride or inflatable amusement accident, please feel free to contact one or our experienced Pennsylvania amusement park and amusement ride accident lawyers at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

As an experienced amusement park accident lawyer, I regularly receive phone calls from individuals who are seriously and many times catastrophically injured in New Jersey shore amusement park accidents or incidents or Pennsylvania amusement park accidents. Many times these stories are never reported in the newspaper or are never reported to the appropriate state licensing and inspection individuals. It is almost as if there is a conspiracy of silence.

A few weeks ago, a client of ours was severely injured when a chain pulling a car on an upward slope broke on a New Jersey thrill ride. Our client revealed that the car fell backwards in a free fall in which she described as an alarming rate of speed. The car then derailed and slammed into a hard object causing the car to spin around off the track in a violent fashion causing injuries to the victims in the amusement car. To add to their fear and terror, it should also be mentioned that the accident occurred in a pitch black dark environment. An investigation revealed that the chain on the ride broke causing the ride to malfunction.

Continue reading "Why Is It That Many Amusement Ride Accidents at New Jersey Amusement Parks Go Unreported and Never Make It to the Newspapers or Regulators despite Serious Injuries?" »

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%.

Continue reading "The Code of Silence in Amusement Park Accidents — Experienced Amusement Park Accident Lawyer Speaks Out" »

Most thrill seekers like roller coasters, particularly the newer designed coasters with loops that go upside down. When we ride them, we assume that they are safe and no accidents will happen. Recently adventure and thrill seekers riding the “Mumbo Jumbo” Roller coaster at Flamingo Land Park suddenly came to a stop in the middle of one of the loops leaving them dangling upside down approximately 50 feet off the ground. They were stuck up there for approximately 20 minutes before being freed from the ride by theme park workers. According to park officials, the accident was not due to mechanical problems but, in fact, was due to a rain poncho dropped by a park guest that got stuck under the ride car and brought the thrilling ride to an end. This roller coaster is identified by the Guinness Book of World Records as the one with the steepest drop.

The experienced Philadelphia amusement and carnival ride accident lawyers of Reiff & Bily have been dedicated to preserving the safety of amusement and leisure rides since 1979. We have successfully handled claims against amusement parks, inflatables, theme parks, carnivals, fairs, festivals, and family entertainment centers when unfortunate accidents happen. Many times, we find that the newest thrill rides push the safety envelope and despite safeguards, accidents do occur. In this economy, I believe that park patrons need to be more careful than ever with the new breed of extreme attractions and the sometime erratic and spurious state of inspection. Chances of injuries and deaths at amusement parks seem to be rising according to statistics. There are no national standards for maintenance or inspection of amusement rides and just about anybody can set one up in a mall parking lot. It appears to this writer that many riders get a thrill from riding on a ride where someone was injured or killed.

If you or a loved one was involved in an amusement park or carnival accident, please feel free to contact one of our experienced amusement park accident lawyers for a free no obligation consultation at www.reiffandbily.com.

A recent string of amusement park accidents has shined a spotlight on amusement park injuries. Disneyland and Knotts Berry Farm, two major amusement parks, came under scrutiny when patrons were seriously injured or killed after accidents on park rides. In October, a wrongful death suit was filed against Knotts Berry Farm after one individual fell from The Perilous Plunge, a water ride, and died. The current increase in injuries and deaths at theme parks has lead to closer scrutiny of amusement park rides and proposed federal legislation.

Some government officials such as U.S. Representative Ed Markey (D-MA) believe that federal regulatory guidelines and standards would help reduce theme park injuries and deaths. Although the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission tracks accidents, the agency was stripped of oversight of fixed parks such as Disneyland and Knotts in 1981 which leaves states and parks to themselves. Markey has introduced legislation that would restore the Commission’s oversight of permanent amusement rides and according to sources, the General Manager of Knotts Berry Farm thinks that the trial lawyers are behind the legislation and furthermore adds “They are the ones profiting.” I guess (following this reasoning) he also thinks that it is also okay for amusement parks to profit when rides fail to meet safety rules and guidelines and innocent people are injured or killed. Guess what? Trial lawyers are really the unsung heroes in promoting safer amusement rides by bringing these situations to the public eye and holding the wrongdoers accountable.

Standards and regulations are a pretty good thing and necessary according to this experienced amusement park lawyer. Minimum standards and regulations are probably good regardless of who does the regulating. It is important to have regulations with teeth in them to promote safety standards and prevent cost cutting failures to repair and maintain rides during a crippling economic crisis. It is good business for all to work towards safety. According to statistics, approximately 6,000 people were injured in amusement park accidents last year. This experienced Pennsylvania amusement park lawyer believes that tighter regulation on a uniform scale results in less injuries and deaths as a result of amusement park accidents.

The Philadelphia amusement park accident lawyers at Reiff & Bily recently concluded a matter where a young child was seriously injured at a carnival amusement when the young boy wandered away from his mother into an unsupervised area when he got caught and was dragged into one of the operating parts of the amusement. The amusement park alleged that the mother was negligent for failing to supervise her child. All amusement parks and carnivals are supposed to be magical places typically associated with the feelings of happiness and joy. Many times when there is a lack of supervision by parents, as well as amusement park employees and personnel, catastrophic accidents and deaths can occur.

In today’s crippled economy, it is not safe to assume that amusement park attendants are paying full attention to your children or to your own safety. Parents should always watch their children at all times and avoid allowing them to become lost or injured. Never leave them unattended for even a moment. Please pay attention to park attendants and safety instructions provided. When your children get on a ride, make sure that they follow the rules including the usage of safety belts as well as all height requirements. Parents should advise children not to disconnect restraints or stand up during the ride or show off for them or their friends while the ride is in progress.

If you or a loved one has been involved in an amusement park accident, please contact one of our experienced amusement park lawyers for a free no obligation consultation at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

As an experienced Philadelphia amusement accident lawyer familiar with the often shoddy maintenance and inspections at amusement parks, today I salute the efforts of the operators of King’s Island for closing the famous Son of the Beast roller coaster. When Son of the Beast opened 10 years ago as the world’s tallest and fastest roller coaster, it was a huge crowd draw. However, it had an infamous reputation for causing injury and also requiring cost and repairs. According to news sources, King’s Island had reported $30 million dollars in the Son of the Beast. However, its record of injuries and accidents indicates that perhaps there were too many problems to operate the amusement ride safely.

In July 2006, 28 people were injured on the roller coaster when the coaster hit a bump caused by broken wooden timber. That amusement park accident led to a year long close of the ride and renovations included lighter train rides and removal of the coaster’s famous inverted loop. Last June the roller coaster was closed again when a woman suffered a head injury while riding. This particular roller coaster has had more amusement injury investigations than any other amusement ride in the state of Ohio according to a report noted in the Cincinnati Inquirer. The General Manager of King’s Island stated that perhaps the ride will open one day but was not specific about what improvements would have to be made for it to it rolls again.

If you or a loved one has sustained an injury in an amusement park accident or carnival accident, please feel free to contact one of our experienced amusement and carnival accident lawyers for a free, no obligation consultation at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

According to newspaper reports, a Philadelphia resident, Joseph Job (Sajan), died in Mexico while paragliding in the ocean along with his friends. Our hearts and prayers go out to the family of Mr. Job and his wife Sajina and three children Tanisha, Natasha, and Trishelle.

Reports indicated that Mr. Job and his family were on a Carnival Cruise vacation in Cozumel, Mexico when the accident happened. On September 14, 2009 I wrote an article entitled ”Is Parasailing Safe” as I witnessed a catastrophic parasailing accident with the same consequences over 30 years ago when I was on vacation with my family in Jamaica. Since that time, I have been contacted by families of others who have suffered catastrophic consequences as a result of parasailing or amusement accidents. This summer there were a number of parasailing accidents resulting in fatalities and catastrophic accidents. Although parasailing is an extraordinarily popular vacation adventure, they often operate in an unregulated environment and many times people with limited knowledge but for how to make a buck are the operators.

As an avid traveler, I have been to Mexico many times and have seen parasailing operations operated by children who appear to be no older than 12 years old and I have seen people that are parasailing land in the middle of crowds and on buildings. The only thing that the operator is interested in are American greenbacks.

Parasailing accidents call for more regulation of parasailing noting that many operators cut corners on safety where innocent customers are left in the dark about whether the ride is safe or not. Parasailing injuries, just as any other amusement, carnival, or water sport injury often involves a combination of many theories of law requiring legal and technical expertise. There is most likely a combination of product liability, and negligence and premises liability law to be explored and prosecution against the wrongdoer.

Continue reading "Parasailing Accident Kills A Philadelphia Native While Vacationing In Mexico" »

Over 30 years ago, I was on vacation with my family in Jamaica when I witnessed a catastrophic parasailing accident. Since that date in time, I am amazed that many people embrace parasailing without questioning the safety of the same. Recently, a parasailing accident in Arizona on Lake Powell catastrophically injured a mother and left her with a traumatic brain injury. Her son who was accompanying her on the ride was also seriously injured. According to news sources, a 17-year old boy rigged to the parasail was attempting to take off from a ledge and the boy’s 42-year-old mother was standing nearby with bystanders watching the boy take off. As the boat began to pull away, the sail turned sideways and entangled the mother and dragged her a few feet before she fell off and struck her head along the shoreline. The boy hit a ledge several times before plummeting into the water.

Over the years, parasailing has been an extraordinarily popular vacation adventure. Similar to many amusements, they are often operated in an unregulated environment and many times by people with limited knowledge but for how to make a quick buck. I can personally attest to witnessing the same. Parasailing when not operated with stringent safety guidelines can be extraordinarily dangerous and lead to catastrophic injuries or fatalities. Not so surprisingly as is the case with the remainder of the amusement industry, there is extraordinarily little or no government oversight.

Continue reading "Is Parasailing Safe? - An Experienced Amusement Accident Attorney Speaks Out: More Regulation Is Necessary" »

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.

Continue reading "“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" »

According to news sources, two adults and two teens were buckled into the raft and were thrown into the water. While many would argue that this was a freak water park accident, this experienced amusement park lawyer will tell you that many water slides or other water park amusement rides are not exactly kiddie rides and many are fraught with hidden dangers.

One likes to assume that every water park or theme park is a safe haven where the biggest worry is eating too many hot dogs or too much ice cream. In reality many water parks and amusement parks are fraught with hidden risks.

If you or a loved one has been involved in a water park amusement or amusement park accident, please feel free to contact the catastrophic personal injury and amusement park lawyers at Reiff & Bily at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com for a free consultation.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family of Hassan Itoni of Dearborn, Michigan who was pulled from an outdoor pool at Kalahari Resorts water park in Sandusky, Ohio and pronounced dead at the hospital. According to news sources, the 3-year old Michigan boy drowned at a northern Ohio water park and was found face down in the children’s pool. Unfortunately, at the amusement park and swimming pool accident law firm of Reiff & Bily, we are all too familiar with swimming pool and amusement park accidents. Police referred to this drowning death as a tragic accident and the local coroner stated that the mother of the child lost sight of her son who did not know how to swim while he was playing with an older brother around the pool which ranged in 3 to 4 feet in depth.

Drowning or near drowning accidents in water parks is a huge problem in the summer months particularly when pool sites are crowded. Our amusement park and swimming pool accident lawyers are consulted on a number of cases each summer by families of children who are seriously injured in swimming pool accidents whether they be at camps, water parks, amusement parks or community pools. If a child is injured in your pool or anyone’s pool under your watch, you could be held liable for those injuries. If a child is injured at a water park or amusement park, the park owes the highest duty of care to all consumers to insure the safety of their customers. Constant supervision is also extremely important when children are playing near water. Drowning often happens silently and quickly, normally within a few seconds. Drowning accidents result in catastrophic brain injuries or deaths.

If you or a loved one had been injured in a swimming pool or amusement park accident, please consult with an experienced Philadelphia lawyer who can best explain how to protect your rights. Please contact one of our experienced personal injury lawyers for a free no obligation consultation at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

As an experienced amusement and carnival accident injury lawyer, I receive many inquiries throughout the spring and summer season from parents whose children were injured as a result of an amusement park or carnival ride failure.

Recently, I read an article published by child safety examiner Susan Carney expressing concern for children injured in carnival amusement accidents this summer. According to Susan Carney’s blog and a story that appeared in the Roanoke Times, on July 4th a carnival accident in Virginia left a 14-year old young man injured when a ride dropped nearly 20 feet into a loading dock after the ride had been inspected the previous week. In another incident on June 27th at Goldman Park in Middletown, Ohio, an inflatable slide ride became airborne and trapped an 11-year old boy.

Continue reading "Unimaginable Danger May Lie In Carnival Amusement Rides" »

Recently, I had the opportunity to visit a New Jersey amusement park and was surprised and dismayed to learn that the operator of the ride was a minimally trained summer participant in a summer exchange work program who barely spoke English. This individual seemed more interested in listening to the blaring park music than paying attention to the ride operation. It should be noted that even the most safely designed ride can turn into a dangerous event when operated by an inexperienced person who is unregulated by federal or state law and is not required to undergo any mandatory training program. When I questioned the operator, he told me that he viewed his job as a vacation and a way to see America while paying his bills. He seemed more interested in flirting with women in the line or in the crowd than keeping an eye on the children. A situation such as this increases the likelihood of a tragic and catastrophic amusement park accident.

As an experienced amusement accident lawyer, I am quite concerned with the amount of undertrained and inexperienced ride operators in addition to commonplace poor maintenance of amusement rides.

If you or a loved one had been injured as a result of an amusement park accident, please contact one of our experienced product liability lawyers at the law firm Reiff & Bily for a free consultation at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

The experienced amusement park injury lawyers at Reiff & Bily recently reviewed an article published by SmartMoney magazine on Friday, May 29, 2009 entitled Ten Things Theme Parks Won’t Tell You. Number 5 on the list is entitled Our Ride Operators Are Barely Old Enough To Drive and it goes on to say that even the most benign ride can turn dangerous when an inexperienced person is operating it. At many parks, especially seasonal ones, ride operators tend to be young summer workers but there are no Federal laws requiring amusement ride operators to undergo any kind of training program. Some states, including California and Minnesota, have introduced state laws regulating safety and training. Still, “There is no internal consistency from park to park in terms of how they instruct their employees,” says Adam Glick, an attorney based in Elizabeth, New Jersey who has handled numerous amusement park injury cases. “The workers tend to be college students on vacation. Most of the rides operators are concerned about flirting with the opposite sex.” Even if they are not, disasters can and do occur.

Continue reading "Many Ride Operators At Amusement Parks Are Barely Old Enough To Drive" »

The defective trailer and amusement injury lawyers at Reiff & Bily became aware of another situation where 11 children riding on a tractor-pulled amusement ride escaped serious injury when a trailer hitch broke on a tractor pulling the cart. According to reports, the trailer was pulling a wagon down a grass lane when the hitch broke causing the driver of the tractor to lose control resulting in an overturn. The operator of the tractor was ejected. The amusement trailer was occupied by 17 individuals including 11 children aged 5 through 14.

At the defective trailer and amusement injury law firm of Reiff & Bily, we are currently working on a similar tractor hayride injury case where the operator of the vehicle pulling the ride had no license or proper screening and yet was hired to pull precious cargo, namely children. Many times, you can simply put a farm tag on a tractor or trailer and no inspections are necessary. Worse yet, no training is required to tow a trailer or pull these amusement park rides and they are generally fabricated as cheaply as possible. We are all too familiar with the serious injuries and fatalities that result when there is a lack of proper inspection, security or due regard for the safety of others.

Continue reading "Another Tractor Amusement Ride Goes Awry With 11 Children On Board" »

According to news sources, a two year old boy was struck and killed by a roller coaster as he slipped away from his parents and ran onto the tracks in an amusement park in London. An official affiliated with the amusement park stated “There would have been a barrier surrounding the roller coaster but he must have found a way around it.” I have written on a number of occasions that amusement parks and carnivals are a child’s playground and a favorite for families but an often unknowingly dangerous form of entertainment for families and young people. I personally have experienced and witnessed a few catastrophic amusement park accidents and had a close call with my own family when two people were killed as a result of an amusement malfunction in Ocean City, Maryland once again on a kiddie roller coaster.

Amusement parks and carnivals operate under a serious loophole in the Consumer Product Safety Act of 1981 prohibiting the CPSC from regulating the safety of rides fixed to a specific site. Unfortunately, regulation and inspection of “fixed site” amusement rides are left up to state or local municipalities and as a result every site varies from good to none and there is no official source who keeps an official record of amusement park accidents.

Accident data for most amusement parks is a well guarded secret and we only hear about the catastrophic incidences. The amusement park industry is highly unregulated and there is not a uniform system for reporting injuries, creating a serious danger when amusement parks police their own accidents. Many times, innocent customers and consumers are left in the dark about which amusement park is safe to visit and which rides are safe for their families, creating real dangers for families and their precious children. Unfortunately with the downturn of the economy, many parks have cut corners on safety and no longer staff the load and unload positions of rides and leave maintenance and supervision many times to high school and college students working on a temporary basis who are entrusted to operate these rides with minimal training. Many times amusement park personnel, including operators, are not paying attention to the precious cargo on the ride.

Continue reading "Roller Coaster Killing Illustrates Amusement Park Dangers" »

According to news sources, a small amusement type train carrying visitors to the Louisville Zoo fell off the tracks Monday June 1, 2009 sending 22 people to local hospitals, including one child who was critically injured. According to news sources, a small engine was pulling a train that circled the Louisville Zoo when three cars and the engine fell off the rails near the gorilla exhibit. The ages of the injured passengers were from 2 months old to senior citizens. Obviously, amusement parks and zoos are a great place for families and kids to unwind and be entertained. As the unfortunate accident at the Louisville Zoo indicates, even the most innocent looking amusement rides can be dangerous and lead to catastrophic injury and fatalities if they are not operated or maintained in a proper fashion.

One likes to assume that every amusement ride or zoo ride is safe. However, in actuality this is often far from the case. The experienced amusement park injury and accident lawyers at Reiff & Bily find that in most cases where injuries or fatalities occur on an amusement ride there is generally improper maintenance or inadequate supervision. The victims who were injured by this derailment at the Louisville Zoo may have claims not only against the operators of the ride who may have failed to properly maintain or supervise the ride but also potentially against the manufacturer of the ride for making an allegedly defective and dangerous product. The injured victims would be well advised to retain the services of a reputable amusement park accident attorney who has experience dealing with amusement park and product liability injury cases.

If you or a loved one has been injured as the result of an amusement park accident, please contact one of our experienced amusement park accident attorneys at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com.

In 2008, over 300,000,000 people visited United States Amusement Parks and Water Slide Parks and it is estimated that they enjoyed over 1.8 billion rides. An informal fixed site amusement ride injury survey estimated that there were 1,309 ride-related injuries in 2007 with only 35 of these injuries reported as serious. While the amusement park and attraction industry is in the business of creating fun, unfortunately the accuracy of reporting ride injury statistics is debatable. The Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that over 5,000 serious accidents occur at fixed amusement park facilities. It is important to note that the ability to gather accurate information regarding amusement park injuries is seriously hampered by a loophole in the Consumer Product Safety Act of 1981 known as the “roller coaster loophole”. This loophole prohibits the CPSC from regulating the safety of rides that are fixed to a specific site. Although multiple attempts have been made to introduce legislation regarding amusement park safety on amusement park rides, they have failed to become law. The majority of regulation and inspection of amusement rides is left up to state or local municipalities and therefore, the reality of this situation is that the oversight varies from good to none. Due to the seriousness of the lack of regulation and lack of legislation with “teeth”, many theme parks unfortunately present hidden dangers to unsuspecting visitors.

At the experienced Philadelphia personal injury amusement park accident law firm of Reiff & Bily, we understand that families and children enjoy visiting amusement parks and hope that each one of the owners and operators of these amusement parks takes all steps necessary to protect their guests from any undue risk or negligence to make sure that their visit is safe. When Injuries happen at amusement parks many conflicts and complexities of law arise requiring experience and technical expertise. There is most likely a combination of common negligence, product liability, and premise liability law to be explored and prosecuted against the wrongdoer by an experienced amusement park accident lawyer.

Continue reading "Amusement Park and Water Park Safety Should Be A Top Priority" »

The experienced amusement park lawyers of the Philadelphia law firm of Reiff & Bily are all too familiar with carnival, midway and amusement park accidents. A report was recently released concerning the serious injuries of dozens of people caused when a “Yo-Yo” amusement collapsed at a California state fair. The owner of the amusement was labeled in the report as “incompetent”.

The report noted that the carnival ride was “in a physical state of disrepair; this attraction had not been properly maintained.” According to news reports, the accident occurred because of the failure of a lock washer. The report further noted that sweeps of the Yo-Yo collapsed because of a spider bearing assembly slipping off of a cylinder ride thus losing the power to pull the sweeps top end. The chairs the riders were sitting in plummeted to the ground and were dragged. The report blasted the owner of the amusement for failure to insure that the ride was safe to operate and also noted that the owner of the ride did not have all of the required inspection certifications and documents in place to insure its safe operation.

Unfortunately, as the economy continues to worsen, we have found that many theme parks, carnivals and midways have cut corners on safety. Many times ride operators do not pay attention to the precious cargo on the ride.

The accomplished Philadelphia amusement park accident attorneys at Reiff & Bily have successfully represented thousands of personal injury clients for catastrophic injuries since 1979. If you have been injured in an amusement park accident, please contact the experienced catastrophic injury lawyers at Reiff & Bily at 1-800-421-9595 or online at www.reiffandbily.com so that we can begin investigating and protecting your rights.

How many of you remember looking forward to going to the supermarket or shopping at the mall with your Mom and Dad and getting on the horse ride or car ride which in my day was 10 cents but probably now a dollar as I have watched prices escalate for a sheer three minutes of pleasure.

Unfortunately a recent story surfaced which noted a 12-month old boy struck his head riding an electric train amusement ride at a shopping center. Paramedics were called and when they arrived they found the mother hysterical carrying her unconscious toddler. CPR was performed according to news sources and the child was air lifted to the hospital.

Although this was a train ride evidently designed to amuse children and bring people to the mall and although inspectors may find that the train ride was mechanically and structurally sound and is in compliance with local standards, parents and the operators of these rides recognize that there should be minimum supervisory and physical requirements that are mandatory for safety reasons. These rides are designed to provide amusement thrills and not to cause errors but accidents still happen under the best of circumstances.

Unfortunately, many amusement rides which look safe are unknowingly dangerous forms of entertainment for families and young people. I have written in my blogs in the past about numerous amusement park and carnival accidents and serious loopholes that exist in the Consumer Product Safety Act of 1981 regulating the safety of rides fixed to a specific site. There is no official source which keeps a complete record of amusement park accidents.

The accomplished amusement park injury lawyers at Reiff & Bily have successfully represented personal injury clients for catastrophic injuries since 1979 recovering hundreds of millions of dollars in damages. If you or a loved one has been injured in an amusement park or on a hayride, please contact the amusement park injury lawyers at Reiff & Bily immediately at 1-800-421-9595 so that we can commence an intensive examination of your claim and begin protecting your legal rights to the maximum of our abilities.

According to a report in the Green Bay Press Gazette, a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family of a 16-year old girl who fell 50 feet to her death in a 2007 amusement park swing accident was settled for $1 million dollars the maximum amount of policy limits.

It is also sad to note and report that Brandon Zucker, a young boy who was badly hurt in a “Roger Rabbit” amusement accident in Disneyland died January 26, 2009. According to news sources, Brandon Zucker, an Anaheim, California boy, suffered brain damage after being trapped under the car of a Disneyland Park ride in September 2000. At age 4, the young boy was badly injured when he fell from a Roger Rabbit Disneyland ride and was dragged about 10 feet, trapped underneath another car and suffered serious internal injuries including torn diaphragm, liver and spleen. The boy’s body was crushed by the ride, and he went into cardiac arrest suffering brain damage and was unable to walk or talk after the accident. Brandon’s mother, Victoria Zucker, stated that Brandon fought hard for the past 8 years. Our hearts and prayers go out to Brandon’s family.

Continue reading "Amusement Park Settles Wrongful Death Lawsuit In 2007 Death of A Girl Who Fell 50 Feet To Her Death At An Amusement Park Swing Chair Accident - Young Man Injured On Roger Rabbit Amusement Dies" »

A settlement was obtained by the family of Kentucky teenager whose feet were severed when riding the Superman Tower of Power at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom in June 2007. A cable broke causing the 13-year-old rider to have her feet severed.

A state report blamed a faulty cable and a ride operator’s slow response but officials claim that there is no way of knowing why the cable snapped. A lawsuit claimed that the amusement park failed to maintain the Superman Tower of Power Ride and equipment and neglected to take steps to ensure the safety of riders.

Amusement park accidents are all too frequent as many amusement park operators drop the ball on maintenance and safety procedures. If an injured victim can prove that their injuries happened because of the owner’s or operator’s negligence then he or she is entitled to compensation. Experienced amusement park accident attorneys at the firm of Reiff & Bily can help you expertly investigate and prosecute your claim.

Philadelphia Amusement and Hayride Accident Lawyers of Reiff & Bily Salute Ron Melancon and dangeroustrailers.org

Ron has been a step ahead of government officials and many lawyers. Ron has recognized that many trailers used for hayrides and other utilities are under 3,000 lbs. and fall below federal guidelines. These trailers do not need to be inspected. You can build one on your own and use it yourself or sell it. As Ron has recognized, there is very little regulation addressed with trailers under 3,000 lbs. Most state laws are silent regarding design or construction specification for utility trailers used in hayrides or for towing hitches. Obviously, a potentially dangerous situation exists using these trailers for hayrides or even on the roads of the Commonwealth. In many cases, we find trailers have obvious violations of safety codes that related to lighting, braking and inspection requirements.

The unregulation of the hayride and trailer obviously allows profit hungry operators to cut corners on safety, often leading to preventable catastrophic injuries of innocent children.

We urge you to link to Ron’s website at www.dangeroustrailers.org. We salute Ron’s efforts to become a crusader for public safety and in his attempts to keep the public informed of the dangerous situations of unregulated trailers and hayrides in the United States and abroad. Consumer advocacy is what change in laws and regulations is all about.

Continue reading "The Dangerous Trailer and Hayride Injury Lawyers of Reiff & Bily Proudly Salute the Efforts of Ron J. Melancon of Richmond, Virginia" »

In yet another horrifying Halloween hayride accident, an Ohio woman was transported to Ohio State University Medical Center after she fell off the side of a Halloween hayride and was pinned underneath the wheels. The individual identified by news sources as Tonya Reynolds suffered a broken arm and her legs were crushed by the ride according to officials. (news article)

In a separate situation, a 7 year old New Jersey boy was left in critical condition after falling from a hayride and striking his head. According to the news report, Jacob George was a passenger on a haunted hayride at the Shrine of St. Joseph Church on Long Hill Road in Stirling, NJ on Friday, October 24th, when he fell off the trailer he was riding on and suffered head injuries. He was transported to Morristown Memorial Hospital where he remained in critical condition. Members of the Morris County, New Jersey Sheriff’s Office Accident Reconstruction Team assisted with the investigation and shut down the ride. (news article )

It is with great sadness that I read about these easily preventable and tragic incidents. As a catastrophic injury attorney in Pennsylvania, I have spent a good portion of the last year working on an almost identical hayride case where a six year old boy on a class outing was also run over by a Halloween hayride, as his mother also instinctively threw herself at her son in an attempt to save him. All of these accidents certainly indicate the necessity of improving safety, supervision, maintenance and warning requirements when dealing with amusement rides and Halloween hayrides where the lives of unsuspecting and innocent children are so frequently involved. My deepest and heartfelt sympathies go out to these families.

Continue reading "Halloween Hayride Crushes Bones of Innocent Rider" »

There could be danger lurking in your own home or backyard. Injuries to children can occur anywhere. They can happen in your house, backyard, school, day care facility, or even in a public park. While it is seemingly impossible to keep a child protected all times, it is important for parents and children to become aware of the dangers that lurk in play grounds and toys. The Pennsylvania personal injury and play-ground accident lawyers at the Philadelphia products liability law firm of Reiff & Bily have been researching and handling thousands of personal injury cases since 1979. Our Pennsylvania defective product attorneys have had extensive experience in the area of defective toys (products liability claims) and play-ground or amusement injuries.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that in 2001 approximately 45% of playground-related injuries are severe (fractures, internal injuries, concussions, dislocations, and amputations) and about 75% of nonfatal injuries were related to playground equipment failure, misoperation or malfunction.

Between 1990 and 2000, 147 children ages 14 and younger died from playground-related injuries. 82 of these injuries (56%) died from strangulation and 31 of these injuries (20%) died from falls to the playground surface. Most of these fatalities (70%) occurred on home playgrounds. Public playground climbers resulted in the most common cause of an injury as compared to any other equipment. At home playgrounds, swings were responsible for most injuries.

Continue reading "Toys And Playgrounds Might Not Be As Safe As One Would Presume" »

Amusement parks are meant to be a place where families could and should have fun out doors, playing games and riding on roller coasters. Most of the time when we think about amusement parks we think of “KODAK” moments of smiles and laughs with our family. Roller coasters and other rides are typically safe to ride, but that does not mean they are free from disasters. The Pennsylvania catastrophic injury lawyers at the Philadelphia law firm of Reiff & Bily have been researching and handling many amusement park accident injury and death claims since 1979.

Amusement parks are supposed to inspect their rides daily, but accidents can still occur. Sometimes the rides are outdated or in need of repair. Other times it’s a ride that is not inherently safe or becomes unsafe due to worker negligence or improper maintenance. In July of 2008, 4 people were injured in Denmark due to their roller coaster’s car came of the tracks and fell onto the cement ground below the ride. The roller coaster opened only a month prior to the accident. Even the newest of rides might cause a serious injury if improperly designed, installed, or maintained.

Continue reading "Amusement Parks Are Not So Amusing When Rides Cause Injury Or Death" »