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Florida Amusement Park Injuries

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As spring starts to settle in across the country, more and more people elect to come to Florida’s amusement parks to enjoy themselves. Most of the time, the trip is enjoyable and even memorable – however, amusement parks can sometimes be dangerous. It is generally a good idea to familiarize yourself with what can happen if you or a loved one is injured at Disney or any of the other parks in Florida.

Ordinary Negligence Causes Many Injuries

The International Association of Amusement Parks & Attractions (IAAPA) report from 2017 estimates the likelihood of being injured on an amusement park ride at approximately 1 in 18 million. However, this number does not take into account all the other potential hazards that one might experience in a theme park, and it also does not factor in that in Florida, amusement parks like Busch Gardens and Disney World are not legally required to report injuries sustained in their parks. Because of this, it is difficult to arrive at an accurate estimate of injuries per year, but it is reasonable to assume that there are many more injuries due to ordinary negligence than to ride failure.

Theme parks are not only responsible for maintaining their rides in safe condition; they must also exercise responsible care toward their guests in every other way as well. Issues like improperly maintained floors or paths, poorly lit parking lots, and obstructed walkways can lead to injuries and accidents, and if they are not careful, the park can be held liable for those injuries because they can be said to have breached their duty of care.

How To Bring Suit?

It can feel overwhelming to try and bring suit against an amusement park, given its parent company’s ability to stall and delay the lawsuit. However, it is absolutely possible to successfully hold an amusement park liable for the injuries that you or your loved one has suffered. The most important thing in terms of whether or not your suit may be successful is understanding which legal theory best fits the facts of your particular situation, as there are several under which you might be successful depending on what specifically happened.

Perhaps the most common theory under which people bring suit against Florida amusement parks is called premises liability. In Florida, amusement park guests are referred to as business invitees, meaning that they are allowed to be on a person’s (or corporation’s) land for a mutually beneficial purpose. The duty of care owed to business invitees is very high – a landowner must both fix any potential dangers and warn an invitee of the existence of any that cannot be fixed. If you can show that there was a failure to do this, it is a good indicator that you may be able to hold the park liable.

Contact A Tampa Amusement Park Attorney

Most of the time, amusement park visits are fun and memorable for everyone. However, if an accident does happen, you should know your options. The Tampa personal injury lawyers at the Rinaldo Law Group are experienced in helping people who have been harmed by a park’s lack of care. Contact us today at 813-831-9999 for a free consultation.

Resource:

iaapa.org/docs/default-source/default-document-library/2017-ride-incident-survey-report.pdf?sfvrsn=0

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