Ten people were injured in an amusement park accident the night of October 7, 2010 when one of the rides broke down and caused a collision between two sets of cars. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the injury accident happened in Knott’s Berry Farm on its $9 million Pony Express ride. Riders race here along a 1,300-foot track on a train of horses, getting up to speeds of 38 mph before taking sharply angled turns and a 44-foot drop.
The ride apparently malfunctioned when a train of ponies with nine people failed to get up to speed and drifted backward to the loading station. It then hit another set of cars, just as one person prepared to board. Officials with the Department of Occupational Safety and Health are looking into whether there was a failure in the brakes of the first train. Ten people were taken to the hospital with injuries, but none of those injuries are believed to be major or life-threatening.
My thoughts and prayers are with the many injured victims of this terrible accident. I wish them all a quick and complete recovery from their injuries.
Amusement Park Injuries
The news report states that the Pony Express has never had an accident in the two years it has been in operation. Last year, however, the Xcelerator ride of Knott’s Berry Farm hurt two people when a cable snapped. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reported that there were about 2,500 personal injuries nationwide that required emergency room visits as a result of amusement park ride accidents in 2004.
Liability Issues
Amusement parks can offer an entertaining time for the whole family, but thrill ride accidents can have catastrophic results. Amusement parks, maintenance crews and rollercoaster manufacturers have a legal obligation to ensure the safety of the riders. If an accident occurs as a result of poor maintenance, the amusement park can be held liable. If the ride accident happened as the result of a defective product, then the product manufacturer can be held responsible for the injuries caused. If the ride accident happened due to an operator error, then the operator as well as his or her employer could be held liable.
Investigations involving ride accidents could take weeks or months. Victims in such cases would be well-advised to contact an experienced Orange County personal injury lawyer, who will stay on top of the official investigation and ensure that the negligent parties are held liable. The best personal injury law firms will offer a comprehensive and confidential initial consultation at no charge to injured victims and their families.
Seriously injured in a Orange County amusement park accident? Want to know if you have a case? Want to know what your case is worth? Want compensation for your injuries? Want justice? Want to make sure the same thing doesn’t happen to someone else?
Call your best friends in the legal industry after a Buena Park injury accident. Call 866-310-5252. The call is free. The advice may be priceless.
Call a Bisnar Chase Personal Injury Attorneys Orange County personal injury lawyer for a free professional evaluation of your case by attorneys who have represented over 6,000 clients since 1978. You will experience award winning representation and outstanding personal service by a friendly law firm in a comfortable environment.
Are you often concerned about the safety of your amusement park ride?