It doesn’t matter who you are, chances are, your children like to go to waterparks. From the time the weather breaks in the spring until the late days of summer, kids all over enjoy themselves at waterparks around the country. Sadly, a personal injury lawyer in Cincinnati has seen a lot of kids get hurt at waterparks.
Our attorneys can help you file a personal injury lawsuit after a waterpark accident.
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More Than 4,000 People Are Hurt at Waterparks Every Year
Records show that more than four thousand Americans, on average, get hurt at waterparks every year. Most of the time, the injured guests are children. No matter how hard a parent tries to keep their children safe, it may not be enough.
Over the decades, our Cincinnati injury attorneys have helped dozens of parents whose children were seriously hurt at waterparks. Whether they recover damages almost always depends on the efforts made by management at the park to keep guests safe.
This Number Doesn’t Include Injured Guests Who Don’t Go to the Hospital
When you think about it, 4,000 seems like a high number. Unfortunately, the total number of waterpark accidents is probably much higher. This number only includes those injuries that required a trip to the hospital.
The number may not seem alarmingly high when one considers there are over 1,300 waterparks in the U.S. Even our Cincinnati injury attorneys were surprised to learn that more than 85 million people visit waterparks at least once per year.
Waterslides Are the Most Dangerous Attractions at a Waterpark
While there is the chance your child could be hurt on just about any ride at the waterpark, the waterslide is the most dangerous. A lot can happen in the two minutes it takes to get from the top of the slide to the bottom.
The other problem is that there’s no way to stop your child’s trip down the slide. If they happen to suffer an injury midway down the slide, they have no choice but to continue to the end.
Don’t Put Too Much Faith in the Lifeguards at the Park
While waterslides can be extremely dangerous, the other attractions at a waterpark pose a risk as well. Any ride at the park is going to involve water. Your child may be laying on a float in the lazy river. Or they may decide to hang out in the wave pool.
Any of these amusements put your child at risk of drowning. It doesn’t matter how skilled or well-intentioned the waterpark’s lifeguards are. They cannot possibly be expected to help every single person who experienced distress while in the park.
Even the Best Trained Lifeguards Can’t See Every Child at All Times
As briefly mentioned above, more than 85 million Americans visit waterparks every year. Even if park management has a relatively low guest-to-lifeguard ratio, it is still a lot of pressure.
Given the fact that most lifeguards are younger, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that thousands of kids get hurt at waterparks. It is too much to ask a teenager or early twenty-something to oversee hundreds if not thousands of children at the same time.
You Know Your Children’s Swimming Abilities Best
One thing our personal injury lawyers in Cincinnati tell our clients is that parents need to watch children carefully while at a waterpark. You know better than anybody else how well your kids swim.
If you don’t believe your children’s swimming skills are strong enough, you need to limit the types of rides they go on. If they’re a poor swimmer, it may be hard for your Cincinnati injury attorney to prove fault on the part of the waterpark’s owner.
All Waterparks Are at Risk of Having Contaminated Water
Aside from dangerous rides and overwhelmed lifeguards, there are other issues with large water parks. Studies have found that the water that is recycled at most waterparks contains dangerous contaminants.
Two of the most dangerous contaminants are E. coli and crypto. Because so many people enter the water at these parks, there is no way to control the bacteria in the water. Just the contaminants on the bottom of the guests’ feet can be dangerous.
What Types of Waterpark Injuries Have Our Cincinnati Injury Attorneys Seen?
One of the unique things about waterpark accidents is that they seem to be an all-or-nothing phenomenon. Some people are involved in water park accidents and suffer very minor injuries.
Other water park visitors can end up in the emergency room as a result of their injuries. Some of the more common injuries caused by waterpark accidents include the following:
- Shoulder injuries
- Neck injuries
- Back injuries
- Broken bones
- Fractures
- Traumatic brain injuries
Your personal injury lawyer in Cincinnati will do their best to get your family the damages you deserve.
Your Personal Injury Lawyer in Cincinnati May Have to Sue Multiple Parties
If your child does suffer a serious injury while at a waterpark, your Cincinnati injury attorney may have to sue more than one party. Obviously, you would need to sue the owner of the park directly. It also makes sense to name their management company in the complaint.
With many water parks, there are outside investors who have an interest in the park’s profitability. Technically, these investors have a say in when repairs are made and how many lifeguards to hire. Your personal injury lawyer in Cincinnati injury attorneys can name these people in your lawsuit as well.
Schedule a Time to Meet With a Seasoned Cincinnati Injury Attorney
If your child has been hurt while at a waterpark, it’s a good idea to call an experienced Cincinnati injury attorney. Depending on the seriousness of your child’s injuries, you may have a legal claim for damages.
Our personal injury lawyers in Cincinnati have handled our fair share of cases involving waterparks. The nature of these amusement parks put visitors at a high risk of getting hurt. The question will be whether the park’s owner and management company will be liable.
We suggest that you call our office as soon as possible after the accident. We can always schedule a date and time for you to come into the office. We do offer new clients a free, initial consultation so it will not cost you a thing.
