Amusement Park Accidents

Experienced Michigan Premises Liability Attorneys Pursuing Fair Compensation on Behalf of Accident Victims in Traverse City and Grand Rapids

Amusement park accidents in Michigan and elsewhere may result in catastrophic injuries, particularly for children. Sometimes, carnival rides do not have adequate safety equipment, are constructed inappropriately, or are operated by staff members who are not attending to safety concerns or who are not adequately trained. Although the Consumer Product Safety Commission regulates rides, it does not always monitor them adequately for safety.

If you were injured or a loved one was killed in an amusement park accident, give the experienced Grand Rapids and Traverse City premises liability lawyers at the Neumann Law Group a call. Our principal, Kelly Neumann, is an award-winning trial attorney who can provide aggressive and knowledgeable representation. Over the past several years, we’ve recovered more than $3 million per year on behalf of our clients, and we look forward to seeing how we can help you with your case.

Seeking Compensation for an Amusement Park Accident

Amusement park accidents can involve a malfunctioning carnival ride, or they may be the result of slipping on a broken step or a case of food poisoning in the food court. Invitees to amusement parks—people who have been invited onto the premises to enjoy the attractions there and have paid to do so—are owed the highest duty of care in premises liability lawsuits.

What is an Amusement Park’s Duty to Keep a Safe Location for Guests?

Several duties are owed by property owners to customers and guests in Michigan: a duty to keep the property in a reasonably safe condition, a duty to protect them from unreasonable known risks or those that should be known, a duty to warn of dangers unless they are open and obvious, and a duty to inspect the property to discover any dangers of which the owner may have been unaware.

Generally, the simple existence of a hazardous condition like a spill or a broken step does not automatically make the owner liable to an invitee. Instead, you will need to prove notice—that the owner knew or should have known about the problem. There are certain circumstances in which an owner or possessor of property may be found to have constructive notice of a defective condition. These situations include those in which an employee created the dangerous condition through an unreasonable omission or act that breached the duty owed to visitors or in which the defective condition is shown to have existed for long enough that the landowner or possessor should have discovered it.

Liability in Michigan Amusement Park Accidents

When an amusement park accident is a result of carelessness by an employee rather than a defective condition, it may be possible to recover damages under the theory of negligence rather. Negligence requires you to show that the defendant failed to meet a duty of reasonable care and that this failure caused your injuries. For example, if a ride operator is not properly trained, and as a result, you fall out of a ride and suffer injuries, you may be able to establish that the park owed you a duty to adequately train its operators and prove the park’s negligence in not doing so.

When injuries occur due to a defective ride or aspect of a ride, such as a defective lap belt, you may be able to bring a product liability lawsuit against the manufacturer. You will need to establish that there was a manufacturing, design, or marketing defect and that it caused your injuries.

Speak with a Dedicated Theme Park Accident Lawyer in Traverse City

No one expects to come away from a visit to an amusement park with serious injuries. Yet, thousands of people are hurt in theme parks, water parks, and amusement parks each year. If you are hurt in an amusement park accident, our Traverse City and Grand Rapids premises liability attorneys may be able to help you recover compensation. The Neumann Law Group also represents victims in Ann Arbor, Flint, Lansing, Kalamazoo, Detroit, Wyoming, Saginaw, Muskegon, Midland, Holland, Warren, and Petoskey, as well as communities throughout the Upper Peninsula. Contact us at 800-525-NEUMANN or via our online form to set up a free consultation with an injury attorney.