Residents of Illinois never expect serious accidents to occur when they visit fun places like amusement parks. However, they can occur and result in tragedies like the recent death of a teen at one in another state.
What happened in the amusement park accident?
Sadly, a 14-year-old boy died after falling from a ride at an amusement park in Orlando. The boy was riding at night on the Free Fall, which is said to be taller than the Statue of Liberty. The ride opened in late 2021 at Icon Park.
The teen, who was visiting from Missouri, was taken to the hospital where he later died from catastrophic injuries sustained in the fall. One bystander stated that they saw him fall from the ride and thought they were seeing “debris.” Another said that as the ride came down toward the bottom, the boy suddenly fell right through his seat.
Why did this accident occur?
Employees working on the ride stated that they were shocked and that everything with the ride seemed to be normal up until the accident. However, the state’s Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services will be investigating the incident. It reported that the ride passed its initial permit inspection in December 2021 when no issues were detected. It has not had a second, semi-annual inspection yet.
The ride will be closed while the investigation is ongoing.
What can be done after an amusement park accident?
Amusement parks are subject to premises liability claims just like any other property or establishment. As a result, if a person is injured or dies as a result of an accident when visiting an amusement park, a civil lawsuit can be filed. If the accident occurred due to negligence, a defect in a ride or unsafe conditions on the grounds, the victim or their survivors could prevail.
In the event of death like the tragic loss of the teen on the Free Fall ride, a wrongful death lawsuit could be filed.
The property owners of an amusement park are liable for ensuring that the grounds and facilities are kept safe for visitors. If you suffered injuries in an accident while visiting an amusement park, you have a right to hold the property owners accountable for your damages.