In’s and Out’s of Water Park Injury Claims in New Jersey

Monmouth and Ocean County, NJ are popular destinations known for their enjoyable attractions, including water parks. Visitors should be aware that these areas can pose dangers, often due to negligence by property owners or operators. If you have been injured at a water park, you may be entitled to seek compensation.

July and August are the height of the summer and the perfect time to head to a water park to beat the New Jersey heat. There are multiple water parks and amusement parks in the Monmouth and Ocean County area, including Six Flags Hurricane Harbor in Jackson Township, Breakwater Beach Waterpark in Seaside Heights, and Jenkinson’s Boardwalk in Point Pleasant Beach, among many others.  While water parks and amusement parks are well-loved for the good times to be had and memories to be made, they can also present safety hazards under certain conditions. Water park accidents can have tragic outcomes, many times resulting in severe injuries. When it comes to accidents caused by property owner negligence or negligent action or inaction on the part of employees and water park operators at these public locations, it is essential that you understand your legal options. If you have been injured in a water park accident in New Jersey, contact the personal injury attorneys at Chamlin, Uliano & Walsh for a free consultation at 732-440-3950 to discuss your claim. The following article explores some of the dangers of water parks and amusement parks, and how to determine liability after an accident.

The Risks and Common Reasons for NJ Water Park Accidents

Injury accidents at water parks and amusement parks can occur in a number of ways. Slips and falls are some of the most common accidents causing injuries in these locations. Parks are responsible for maintaining the facilities to prevent puddles and other slick surfaces from causing patrons to slip and fal, and their lifeguards are responsible for preventing accidents by enforcing rules such as no running near water areas. Lapses in these precautionary measures can lead to a slip and fall causing serious injury. Additionally, head, neck, and back injuries are all too common at water parks and amusement parks. Certain rides and water slides can cause the body to move in a jerky fashion, resulting in whiplash, hitting the head on equipment, or other dangerous injuries.

Participants must be made aware of risks associated with rides, and employees are responsible for ensuring that only those whose bodies are large and strong enough to withstand such force are allowed on those rides. The property owners also have a legal responsibility to maintain their premises by inspecting each element regularly to prevent structural, electrical, and other failures. Especially at water parks, drowning and close calls are unfortunate events that occur. The property owner must ensure the safety of the park’s infrastructure, as well as ensuring that the safety procedures near water are in top form, to prevent these tragedies from happening.

Legal Obligations, Failures, and Accountable Parties in Water Park Accident Lawsuits

Water park and amusement park owners have a duty of care to provide a safe environment for all to enjoy. Breach of this duty of care forms the basis of a personal injury lawsuit. A park owner has a duty of care to ensure that their premises and procedures are in keeping with their clients’ safety, and if they do not fulfill this duty and a client is injured as a direct result of their negligence, they can be held financially responsible for the victim’s injuries through a premises liability claim. Electrical failures caused by poor maintenance, for example, are the responsibility of the property owner.

Equally, if a water park is operated by a company that does not own the property, and injury occurs due to improper safety maintenance or management, the park operator may be held responsible. Slips and falls and other operational injuries typically fall under the category of park operator liability. And if a piece of equipment breaks and causes injury due to a manufacturing failure, the manufacturer may be held liable for injuries. Situations in which a slide breaks, for example, could result in a product liability lawsuit against the manufacturer.

What Kinds of Injuries can Happen Due to Water Park Accidents?

Common water park accident injuries include cuts and bruises; broken bones; infections due to unsanitary conditions; head, neck, and spinal injuries such as whiplash and concussions; muscle strains and sprains; oxygen deprivation; and even death.

The Full Scope of Compensation for Water Park Injuries

Financial damages for medical expenses, lost wages, related out-of-pocket expenses, and non-economic damages like pain and suffering can be recovered when victims are injured in water park accidents resulting from another party’s failure to exercise due care.

Contact our Accomplished Attorneys to Assist with Your Water Park Accident Lawsuit in New Jersey

After you have sought immediate medical care for a water park or amusement park accident injury in Manasquan, Long Branch, Wall, Holmdel, Middletown, Colts Neck, Red Bank or elsewhere in Monmouth County and Ocean County, it is important that you call a qualified personal injury attorney, such as ours at Chamlin, Uliano & Walsh. While you focus on recovery, our lawyers will serve as a point of contact with the negligent party’s liability insurance company to move forward with the claims process. We will also gather medical documentation and other important evidence related to the specific circumstances surrounding the accident and the details of the liable party’s role in causing or failing to prevent your water park accident injuries. Our team may also call upon relevant experts to applicable elements of the scene to develop your case.

While you do not have to hire an attorney who is readily equipped to handle your water park or amusement park injury lawsuit, an attorney’s experience and legal know-how can go a long way toward ensuring that you are fully financially compensated for injuries. To explore your legal options for compensation after being injured at a water park in New Jersey, contact Chamlin, Uliano & Walsh at 732-440-3950 today.