Los Angeles is home to some of the country’s most popular water attractions. Millions of people visit Six Flags Waterworld, Raging Waters, and other water-themed amusement parks each year. While these parks can be a great place for family fun, they can also be quite dangerous.
If you or someone you love has been injured in a waterslide accident you may be entitled to compensation. Contact the personal injury lawyers at Citywide Law Group to request a free consultation and learn about the benefits of filing a personal injury lawsuit.
For the past 17 years, our attorneys have been fighting to hold negligent amusement parks responsible for injuries sustained by accident victims like you. During this time, we have recovered in millions in compensation for our clients. We understand how important a settlement or award can be after an unexpected accident, so we will fight aggressively to get you the money you deserve. Contact us for immediate assistance today.
Causes of Waterslide Injuries in Los Angeles
Water park accidents are fairly common. According to a study by the Red Cross, more than 4,200 people are hospitalized each year for waterslide-related injuries. Common causes of waterslide injuries include:
- Poor maintenance
- Lack of inspections
- Unsupervised swimmers
- Lack of fencing
- Lack of warning signs
- Failure to install safety devices, and
- Slippery conditions.
Common Waterslide Accident Injuries
Waterslide and water park accidents can result in serious and life-changing injuries, including:
- Fractures and broken bones
- Concussions
- Traumatic brain injury
- Spinal cord injury
- Paralysis
- Amputation
- Internal organ damage
- Neurological impairment
- Lung and respiratory disorders, and
- Wrongful death.
Types of Water Park Accidents
There are three common causes of water park injuries in Los Angeles: defective rides, slip and fall accidents, and swimming pool accidents.
Defective Rides
When you enter a water park you expect that the rides, slides, and equipment you use will be safe. When a waterslide or water park ride is defective, you are at risk of suffering serious and life-changing injuries. California water parks are considered common carriers under the law, which means that they have a heightened duty of care.
Water parks must exercise the “utmost care and diligence” in constructing, servicing, inspecting, and maintaining their equipment. Any failure to uphold this heightened duty can put water park users at risk.
A water park may be held liable for injuries sustained on defective waterslides if the park:
- Created the defect,
- Knew about the defect, or
- Should have known about the defect if it had used the proper level of care.
Slip and Falls
Water parks are, by their very nature, slippery places. There are pools everywhere, water is a feature in all of the of rides, and guests drip it almost everywhere they go. This can make for a very dangerous situation. Water parks have a responsibility to make sure that their pathways, rides, and grounds can be safely traveled.
This may require installing special floors or drainage systems, or posting a lot of signage to warn about the risks of falling. If you slip and fall at a water park you may be entitled to compensation if the park did not provide reasonable safety measures.
A water park may be held liable for your slip and fall injury if the park:
- Willfully or maliciously failed to protect you from a danger, or
- Failed to warn about a danger on the property.
Water parks may escape liability if your injury was caused by an obviously unsafe condition that you should have known to avoid.
Swimming Pool Accidents
Many water parks in the area are equipped not only with waterslides but also with swimming and wading pools. These attractions tend to be very popular with children. When these pools become crowded it can be difficult for lifeguards to watch all guests closely.
This puts children, especially those who may not be the best swimmers, at risk of falling or drowning. A water park may be liable for injuries sustained in or around a swimming pool if reasonable safety measures were not taken to protect from foreseeable harm.
Water Park Injury Damages
An unexpected injury during a family outing can be devastating. Your injury may require extensive (or even lifelong) medical care and limit your ability to work. If your child is injured, their injuries may limit their ability to grow into thriving, self-sufficient adults.
Filing a personal injury lawsuit against the negligent water park can allow you to recover monetary damages for the harms you have suffered. In California, you can recover both economic and non-economic damages.
Economic Damages
Economic damages are awarded to essentially reimburse you for the out-of-pocket financial costs you have because of your injury. In other words, economic damages are intended to put you back in the financial position you would have been in if the accident had never happened. Economic damages, which are limited to your present and future costs, may include:
- Hospitalization
- Surgery
- Medication
- Medically-necessary assistive devices
- Rehabilitation
- Nursing care
- Lost wages, and
- Reduced earning capacity.
Non-Economic Damages
Some injuries may not cost you anything out-of-pocket. However, this does not mean that these injuries are any less harmful or devastating. Non-economic damages are awarded to compensate you for the difficult-to-value physical and emotional injuries you sustain because of an accident. Non-economic damages, which have no limit, may include:
- Pain and suffering
- Disfigurement and scarring
- Emotional distress
- Anxiety and depression, and
- Loss of enjoyment of life.
When Do I Have to File a Water Park Accident Injury Claim?
Whether you’re a local Los Angeles resident or visiting a water park from out of town, you have the right to file a personal injury claim after an unexpected accident. However, California limits the amount of time you have to take legal action. Personal injury claims must generally be filed within two years of your water park accident. If you do not file a claim before the statute of limitations expires you will not be able to get the money you need.
There are limited exceptions to this statute of limitations rule. If any of the following extenuating circumstances apply, you may be able to have the statute of limitations tolled:
- You were under the age of 18 at the time of your accident, or
- There was a reasonable delay in the discovery of your injury.
If a tolling factor applies, you may be able to have the statute of limitations paused temporarily. This can allow you to file a claim more than two years after an accident.
Experienced Los Angeles Waterslide Accident Attorneys
Have you been injured in a Los Angeles waterslide accident? Contact Citywide Law Group to find out how we can help you hold the water park responsible for its negligence and recover the compensation you deserve. Our Los Angeles waterslide accident attorneys have more than 17 years of experience handling complex personal injury cases.
During this time, we have helped thousands of accident victims across Los Angeles recover meaningful compensation for their injuries. Call us today to find out how we can help you, too. Remember, you have a limited amount of time to act, so do not hesitate to reach out to us today.