Are you aware of the potential risks lurking behind the thrills and excitement of amusement parks?
Some of the largest lawsuit payouts stem from incidents at amusement parks. From roller-coaster malfunctions to slip-and-fall accidents, amusement parks pose a risk with every visit. It’s time to take a closer look at the reality of amusement park lawsuit payouts.
1. Boy killed on Verrückt’s water slide received nearly $20 million.
2. Darien Lake settles lawsuit for $2.85 million after U.S. Army veteran’s roller coaster death.
3. Dreamworld paid $2.15m to the family of a woman killed on a malfunctioning ride.
4. Disney World guest awarded $841,535 for Grand Prix Raceway ride injuries.
5. A woman was awarded a $600,000 settlement for her injury sustained on the Coney Island roller coaster.
A boy was riding the Verrückt water slide in Kansas, when his head struck a metal pole holding up the protective netting, killing him. The family received nearly $20 million.
A tragic incident occurred at the Verrückt water slide in Kansas, resulting in the fatal injury of a young boy. While riding the water slide, the boy’s head struck a metal pole holding up the protective netting, causing severe head trauma and his untimely death. The victim’s family received a nearly $20 million settlement for the park’s negligence in ensuring the safety of its visitors.
Investigators found that while rushing to build the world’s tallest water slide, ride operators at a Kansas park ignored major design flaws and safety standards. Despite this, the ride, Verrückt, was opened just 20 months after its conception, potentially putting riders at risk of injury.
Following the tragic incident, the amusement park injury victim’s family took legal action against the water park for its failure to uphold safety measures and regulations that should have been in place to prevent such a tragedy and received a settlement of $20 million. [1]
Darien Lake settles a lawsuit stemming from the death of a U.S. Army veteran who was killed by falling out of a roller coaster for $2.85 million.
Darien Lake Theme Park in New York has settled with the family of James Hackemer, a U.S. Army veteran who was killed after being ejected from the 208-foot-tall Ride of Steel roller coaster. The incident occurred at the Darien Lake Theme Park resort and the case settled for $2.85 million.
Hackemer, who had lost both of his legs while serving in Iraq, was at Darien Lake with his family when the accident occurred. He suffered multiple rib fractures and internal injuries. The lawsuit alleged that the theme park was negligent and failed to ensure the safety of its riders. [2]
Queensland’s Dreamworld paid $2.15m to the family of a woman who died on a malfunctioning ride.
A tragic incident occurred at Queensland’s Dreamworld when a malfunction on the Thunder River Rapids ride led to the death of four people, including a woman named Cindy Low. The incident happened when a water pump failed and caused the raft they were in to overturn.
Following the incident, the victim’s family pursued legal action against the park, resulting in a $2.15 million payout to her two kids. The terms of the settlement fund also included $280,000 for costs and outlays to her family. [3]
A Walt Disney World guest has been awarded $841,535 for injuries he suffered at the Florida theme park resort’s Grand Prix Raceway ride.
A Walt Disney World guest was awarded $841,535 for injuries sustained at the Grand Prix Raceway ride after filing a lawsuit against the theme park resort. The park guest suffered severe injuries when another ride vehicle crashed into his, causing whiplash and back injuries.
The circumstances leading to the personal injury lawsuit involved negligence claims on the part of Walt Disney World in maintaining and operating the ride safely. The final judgment in the lawsuit found Walt Disney World responsible for the guest’s injuries and ordered them to pay $841,535 in compensation. [4]
A woman received a $600K payout for a Coney Island roller coaster injury
A woman received a $600,000 payout for injuries sustained on the Coney Island Cyclone roller coaster at Astroland Kiddie Park in New York. The incident happened when the roller coaster abruptly stopped, leading to her suffering neck and back injuries due to inadequate neck and head support.
Despite being granted $1.5 million, she received only $600,000 based on comparative negligence as she was found to be 60% at fault for her injuries. [5]
If you’ve been injured at an amusement park, contact Goldberg & Loren’s experienced amusement park injury attorneys today for a free consultation.
FAQs
Incidents that can lead to amusement park accident lawsuit payouts include ride-related injuries, slip-and-fall accidents, inadequate safety procedures, equipment malfunctions, and other instances where the park's negligence or failure to maintain a safe environment results in injury or harm to visitors.
Amusement park lawsuit payouts are determined based on various factors, including the severity of the bodily injury, medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and the level of negligence or fault on the part of the amusement park owners.
If you've been injured in an amusement park accident, seek medical attention immediately and report the incident to the park authority. Document the details of the incident, including taking photographs of the scene and obtaining contact information from any witnesses. Consult with a personal injury lawyer to discuss your legal rights and options for pursuing compensation.
Sources:
[1] Fortin, J., & Haag, M. (2018, March 27). Water Slide That Decapitated Boy Violated Basic Design Standards, Indictment Says. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/26/us/waterslide-boy-decapitated-charges.html
[2] Family mourns death of Iraq war amputee who fell out of roller coaster. (2011, July 9). NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna43697106
[3] Reporter, G. S. (2022, December 22). Queensland’s Dreamworld to pay $2.15m to family of woman who died on malfunctioning ride. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/dec/22/queenslands-dreamworld-to-pay-215m-to-family-of-woman-who-died-on-malfunctioning-ride
[4] Reports, F. T. S. A. W. (2019, March 3). Disney World Guest Wins Injury Award – Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-feb-03-fi-60665-story.html
[5] Saul, J. (2015, March 30). Woman gets $600K payout for Coney Island coaster injury. New York Post. https://nypost.com/2015/03/30/woman-gets-600k-payout-for-coney-island-coaster-injury/
