Injured in an amusement park accident?

Amusement parks are meant to be places of fun and excitement, but there’s nothing “amusing” about the accidents and injuries that can occur there, whether it’s from a ride malfunction, mechanical failure, lapse in maintenance, slip and fall, or another incident caused by park negligence.

Each year, millions visit New York attractions like Luna Park at Coney Island, Adventureland, and Darien Lake. Most walk away with lifetime memories of a fun summer day spent outdoors with friends and family. More than a few, though, walk away with life-changing injuries that turn a day of recreation into a need for compensation. 

New York law holds amusement park owners and operators to a high standard of care for their guests’ safety. They are responsible for maintaining safe premises, ensuring rides are in good working order, and adequately training their staff. If these obligations are not met and an accident occurs, the injured party may be able to file a personal injury claim against the park, its management, and other related parties.

Amusement Park Injuries: When Fun Turns Tragic 

According to the National Safety Council, there were around 130 serious ride-related injuries at North American theme parks in 2021, including fatal injuries. That puts the odds of being seriously injured on a ride at about 1 in 15 million rides taken.

That may not sound like a lot—until you consider that, in a typical year, guests take more than 1.7 billion rides at American amusement parks, and tens of thousands of them end up in the emergency room after being hurt on an amusement park ride. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, 22 fatalities have been associated with amusement attractions since 2010, not including water parks or slides. CPSC estimates 29,400 US injuries in 2017 associated with amusement attractions. In 2017 alone, 

And try explaining the “odds” to the victims of amusement park mishaps, such as the such as the 14-year-old who died after falling approximately 100 feet from a drop-tower ride at ICON Park in Orlando, the visitor at Universal Epic Universe who became unresponsive during a roller-coaster ride in Florida and later passed away at the hospital from multiple blunt impact injuries, or the traumatized riders at Rye Playland in New York, where a ride malfunctioned and spun in reverse for 10 minutes. 

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, there have been 22 fatalities associated with amusement parks since 2010. CPSC estimated 29,400 injuries associated with amusement attractions in a recent single year (2017). 

Common Causes of Amusement Park Injuries

Accidents can happen anywhere in a park, from roller coasters to parking lots. Some of the most frequent causes include:

• Ride malfunctions or operator errors (such as improper restraints or sudden stops)
• Slip and falls on wet or uneven surfaces
• Inadequate maintenance or inspections
• Negligent supervision or untrained staff
• Improper crowd management or failure to control hazards

Who Can Be Held Responsible After an Amusement Park Accident?

Liability for an amusement park injury depends on how the accident happened and who was responsible for maintaining safety. In many cases, more than one party may share the blame, and each could be a potential source of compensation.

• Amusement park owners or operators – for failing to properly maintain rides, train employees, or post adequate warnings.
• Ride manufacturers – if the design or construction of the ride was defective or unsafe.
• Maintenance contractors – when outside vendors are responsible for inspections, mechanical work, or safety checks that were done improperly.
• Ride operators or employees – for operator error, negligence, or failure to follow safety procedures.
• Concession or third-party vendors – if an injury occurs due to unsafe food service areas, slippery walkways, or hazards created by a vendor.
• Municipal or government entities – if the park is city- or state-owned, such as a public fair or boardwalk attraction (note: these cases may require filing special “notice of claim” forms and have shorter deadlines).
• Event organizers or promoters – in cases where a traveling carnival or fair sets up temporary rides and fails to meet safety standards.

Steps to Take After a New York Amusement Park Accident

1. Report the incident to park management and obtain a copy of any incident report.
2. Gather evidence, including witness contact information and photos of the scene or hazards.
3. Seek prompt medical attention—even minor symptoms can worsen over time.
4. Start the personal injury claims process to preserve evidence and navigate insurance claims.

Hurt at an Amusement Park in New York? Pain Injury Law Can Help

Many amusement rides in New York have been operating for decades, some for 20, 30 or more years. Destinations like Luna Park are a throwback to the early days of American leisure culture, but when accidents happen, they can leave injured guests in search of more than nostalgia. 

Pain Injury Law uses the latest technology to handle the injury claims process. There’s no “waiting in line” like at your favorite amusement park to get a claim started or to receive case updates. You can start your case immediately by answering a few simple questions. Once approved, you are assigned a customized care team and can manage your claim right from your phone or other device. And the entire process of hiring a lawyer costs you nothing unless we recover compensation for you. 

Hurt in a New York amusement park accident? Let Pain Injury Law make the claims process as painless as possible: call or contact us to start your claim today.