Personal Injury Attorney

Consider the average amusement park, it’s the job of the park officials to ensure that park goers are safe, that safety standards are adhered to, and that everyone can have a good time as a result. As an experienced personal injury attorney from Eric Roy Law Firm can explain, This can all be possible as long as the park goers are cooperative in adhering to the standards set by the park including weight limits and procedures. These weight limits are set for a reason as the engineers for the rides are experts capable of determining everything from the tensile strength of the harnesses to the weight limits that the rides can handle. This is established all so that park goers can be safe as the threat of injury is very much real.

In Florida, a teen died accidentally after slipping through the safety harness of a free fall ride. The teen weighed 320 pounds during his death, but autopsy showed that he weighed about 383 pounds when he died. The attendant for the ride had adjusted the teens harness so he would fit better, but the ride itself has a weight limit of 287 pounds.

The manual for attendants discourages this practice as it specifically states that if the individual doesn’t fit the seat properly to not let that person ride.

“Be careful when seeing if large guests fit into the seats. Check that they fit within the contours of the seat and the bracket fits properly. If this is not so — Do not let this person ride,” the manual stated on the topic.

The defendant in this case is liable because the park failed to adhere to the standard duty of care and all parks must make rides safe for reasonably foreseeable use. This is accomplished with:

Adequate restraints: the restraints on ride ensure that the park goers remain fastened to their seats so that they don’t fall out leading to injury. Rides will reach high speeds, make hair pin turns, and reach great heights so it’s important that the restraints be of quality and have the tensile strength to handle great weights for an extended period of time.

Maintenance: Over time the structural integrity of the ride will wear down over time due to repeated use and exposure to the elements. Maintenance needs to be performed regularly to ensure that the ride doesn’t break down while in use.

Standard duty of care: Attendants must adhere to all the safety procedures in ride operation, the fastening of individuals, and the filtering of who can be allowed on the ride.