Water Parks are fun, especially during the summer when you are trying to cool off from the sweltering heat. With summer already here, many people are looking to pools, waterparks, and amusement parks to experience something new and spend the long summer days together. While you expect little bruises to happen, you never expect that you will lose a loved one due to a water park accident.
The summer of 2021 ended a teenager’s life after she went to a waterpark. The young teen of only 14 years old was playing on a water trampoline when she fell into the water. She went underwater, and it took staff and EMS time to find her. She did not have a lifejacket and was transported to a local children’s hospital by CareFlight for treatment. Unfortunately, it was too late, and she was pronounced dead by drowning.
Sadly this is not a rare occurrence. Water parks are dangerous for children and adults alike. In 2018 alone, there were 7.5 million water park visitors to one region of the country. You can imagine how many other visitors there are across the rest of the country. Water Slide related injuries account for over 4,200 emergency room visits. That does not even account for other water park accidents.
What causes water park accidents?
Many water parks only open during a specific time, such as summer. The rest of the year, they are not in operation and do not get the necessary maintenance. The moment summer comes, owners must staff these parks, and the equipment must be in proper working order. Water park operators do not always care to train their staff or maintain their equipment properly. They are in a hurry to get into operation and will skip some steps. Indoor water parks can stay open in harsher climates but have limited staff who cannot maintain or supervise all guests. Considering insufficient or undertrained staff plus old equipment and lax safety precautions, it is easy to see why accidents happen.
Drowning death is the worst injury but not the only one.
Drowning is a harrowing experience that no one should go through, and it is an awful way to lose your life. Drowning victims cannot control what is happening around them. Children may not know how to swim, and it can be challenging to maneuver in the water. While you are keeping an eye on your child, the water park staff should also have ample supervision for all park guests and ensure that everyone is following the safety procedures in place. Negligence from the water park can result in:
- Spinal cord injuries
- Fractures
- Neck injuries
- Crushing injuries
- Sprained ankles
- Chest trauma
While supervision is one contributing factor, there are others, like the improper design of the waterpark. There are many architectural designs to be made when building a waterpark. If design flaws exist, an injury can happen simply by walking around.
Waterslides are dangerous too.
There are many activities at waterparks, one of which is waterslides. It seems that waterslides are getting bigger and bolder. You can even find a waterslide on some cruise ships. Waterslides seem like a safe way to attract visitors. When people think of water slides, they reminisce about the slides found at the park. However, they are very different from park slides. Waterslides require a raft, which will go down the slide in different ways depending on the weight distribution. The water is unpredictable, and you never know how you will learn to get to the bottom.
How can I get compensation for a water park accident?
Most water parks will make guests sign a waiver, or there will be an assumed responsibility when the guest purchases a ticket. The release protects the water park from liability for an accident; it does not exempt them from any legal action for a severe accident. You can file a personal injury claim against the water park or another negligent party. Kwartler Manus, LLC is ready to hold these parties liable for their actions. Contact our office at (267) 457-5570 and speak to a Philadelphia water park accident attorney today.