Amusement Park Drownings: What Causes Them?

Most people visit amusement parks and leave with the satisfaction of having a fun and entertaining trip but on occasion, tragedies do occur and most of us never hear about them. Aquatic accidents at amusements parks injure and drown both adults and children every year and litigation normally ensues. Some of the reasons for these types of accidents include the following:

• Inadequate maintenance of pool or other facilities relating to water rides
• Defective drains or equipment
• Inadequate staffing of lifeguards
• Inadequate training of lifeguards
• Malfunctioning water-related rides

When any of the above occurs in amusement parks, devastating accidents can result and it becomes necessary to seek legal help. Brain damage can quickly occur in drowning as the brain cannot do without oxygen for even short periods of time.

ASix Flags Water Ride Incident

Back in March 1999, an incident at Six Flags in Texas provides a good example of how easily an aquatic accident can happen. A raft had capsized in the Roaring Rapids ride leaving riders trapped upside-down under water. A woman who was a certified diving instructor and trained in handling emergencies made attempts to rescue some of the ride victims who were trying to free themselves of their safety belts. She was instructed by staff to not help them. She said the staff operators panicked acting like they didn't know what to do. The woman went in despite, and attempted to free them anyway after observing the inaction of the staff.

Park officials claimed that the staff are trained to handle emergency situations but that the amusement park's policy bars them from entering the water; they are trained instead to activate an alarm which then alerts medical personnel and other employees trained for emergencies. There was no life saving equipment nearby that could have assisted the rescue and the park's policy and procedures were set for review after the accident.

Work with Someone Knowledgeable

If you or someone you love has been a victim in an amusment park drowning accident, you should contact an drowning accident attorney to help you. At the Doan Law firm, we have highly skilled aquatic accident attorneys who are experienced in this specific type of litigation. We have the resources to pursue a full investigation to determine the cause of the incident and will strive to prove that negligence was involved. We will work diligently to get you compensation for your injuries as well as any lost wages, pain and suffering and possibly more. We will come to meet you in another state if necessary to help you hold accountable those responsible for the accident.

Contact an amusement park drowning accident lawyer in our office to arrange a free consultation today.