St. Petersburg Amusement Park Injury Lawyer
Arguably the center of the amusement park universe, Florida welcomes millions of thrill seekers to its attractions each and every year. While most visits to these types of venues are fun-filled events which provide families with treasured memories, there are all too many instances in which guests suffer serious injuries and sometimes worse due to the negligence of others.
Though cases involving harm suffered at carnivals, parks, or other similar destinations can often be extremely complex, victims need to know that they are not without legal recourse.
If you or a loved one has suffered substantial losses due to an accident of this nature, a St. Petersburg amusement park injury lawyer can help you obtain the financial resources you need and deserve to recover as well as you possibly can.
Key Facts About Amusement Park Accidents
According to information compiled by the National Safety Council on behalf of the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions, 2014 saw roughly 1,150 ride-related injuries at fixed-site amusement parks, representing a decline from previous years. However, as evidenced by a series of recent, high-profile events at parks and attractions nationwide, this number does not accurately reflect the true dangers faced by visitors each and every day.
In the summer of 2016 alone, amusement park accidents in Nebraska, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Missouri caused harm ranging from broken bones, head injuries, fatal infections, and even death, not to mention a whole host of other categories of loss capable of leaving victims with lasting disability, pain, and suffering.
Complex Regulatory Patchwork and Resulting Dangers
Central to the problem of amusement park and carnival attraction dangers is the fact that there is a clear lack of uniformity with regard to the regulations and oversight applied to them.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has authority over traveling ride operators across the country, though fixed-site amusement parks were removed from federal supervision in 1981, creating something of a vacuum in terms of accountability. State governments have thus been given leeway to craft their own safety and inspection rules, which range from extremely strict in certain locales to almost non-existent elsewhere.
Florida is among the jurisdictions that have seen fit to relax the accident reporting transparency and investigative requirements for such popular destinations as Universal Studios, Walt Disney World and Busch Gardens. As a result, St. Petersburg amusement park injury victims may find themselves at a real disadvantage when it comes to fighting back against negligent operators.
Establishing Liability in Amusement Park Injury Accidents
Proving negligence in an amusement park accident can be a challenge, particularly considering the fact that lawsuits related to this type of harm can involve multiple, diverse areas of the law such as product liability, premises liability, negligent supervision and other theories of recovery.
Therefore, it is important for victims to align themselves with a legal advocate who can work in collaborative fashion with engineers, accident reconstruction personnel, medical experts, and economic loss valuation professionals in order to build the strongest possible case on their behalf.
Why Pursue an Amusement Park Injury Case
Amusement attraction injuries can and do run the gamut from being temporary inconveniences to truly debilitating. Whereas some victims need to seek little more than reimbursement for their medical expenses, others require resources to pay for a lifetime of ongoing healthcare services, lost wages, and non-economic damages including pain, suffering, and emotional distress, which can be very hard to secure without a seasoned St. Petersburg amusement park injury lawyer.
The negative impact of an amusement park accident on entire families can be severe and sometimes permanent, and it is imperative that victims receive the aggressive legal representation needed to hold responsible operators, ride designers, maintenance staff, and others fully accountable.
St. Petersburg Injury Advocates
The feelings of disappointment and betrayal following an accident at a popular tourist attraction or traveling carnival are often palpable and intense, but victims need to be aware that help is within close reach. To begin exploring your legal options and to discuss the specifics of your case, contact a St. Petersburg amusement park injury lawyer with our firm today.