Last updated on August 8th, 2023
Ohio is home to several major amusement parks including Adventure Zone, Cedar Point, Coney Island, Kings Island, Stricker’s Grove, and Tuscora Park. Although your risk of suffering an injury is low, the cumulative number of accidents over the years is high. All told, Ohio amusement parks have paid out millions of dollars in compensation.
Following are some examples of amusement park accidents in Ohio:
The foregoing list is only a partial account of the total number of accidents that have occurred over the years.
Ohio personal injury and wrongful death law can impose liability for amusement park accidents on operators, as well as on third parties, or even on you, depending on the circumstances. If the accident was partly your fault, Ohio could hold you responsible for some or even all of your own damages.
Ohio law on premises liability sets out an amusement park’s liability for injuries that occur inside the park. Two types of victims are responsible for almost all claims against amusement park operators–invitees and trespassers. Your likelihood of winning your claim depends greatly on which one of these categories you fall into. If you are unsure, contact an amusement park accident lawyer today.
You were an invitee if you were a guest who legally entered the park for entertainment purposes. The park must act with ordinary care for its guest’s safety and protection–in other words, it cannot act negligently. The park can be held liable for a hidden defect that injures you. The question is whether a “reasonable” amusement park operator would have either repaired it or warned of the defect.
You were a trespasser if you entered the park illegally, or if you entered a restricted section of the park. In this case, the park’s only duty toward you would be the duty to refrain from willfully, wantonly, or recklessly harming you. Generally, the park does not bear liability to a trespasser for negligence, or injury caused by a hidden defect.
The Division of Amusement Ride Safety and Fairs, part of the Ohio Department of Agriculture, is the entity responsible for amusement park safety in Ohio. Ohio amusement park safety laws were recently strengthened in the wake of the death of Tyler Jarrell at the 2017 Ohio State Fair. Tyler’s Law imposes more stringent safety standards on the duty of an amusement park to inspect its rides.
You don’t absolutely have to prove that the defendant violated a safety regulation to win your claim. You can simply prove that a reasonable person would have exercised greater care to avoid an accident.
It is easier, though, to win an amusement park injury claim if you can prove that the defendant violated a regulation. That is because the Ohio legal doctrine of negligence per se allows a plaintiff to prove negligence simply by showing a violation of a relevant safety regulation.
If you cannot show a violation of a safety standard, you must prove three things: negligence, causation (that the negligence caused your injuries), and damages.
A handful of problems generate most amusement park accidents. Following are some of the most common causes:
AN EXPERT TIP FROM DOUG MANN
Sometimes guests cause the very accidents that injure them. Failure to obey height requirements or health warnings, failure to follow safety warnings, or attempting to ride while intoxicated all cause accidents. In such cases, you would bear your own liability. Be safe, and be sure to obey all posted safety warnings when enjoying a day at an amusement park.
Considering the total number of people who visit Ohio amusement parks every year, you are not likely to suffer a serious injury. If you suffered an injury, however, or if your loved one died due to amusement park negligence, Ohio does provide a financial remedy. This remedy will not only compensate you but also hold the amusement park operator accountable. Contact one of our experienced attorneys today to set up a free consultation to discuss what we can do to help.
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Before establishing Dyer, Garofalo, Mann & Schultz L.P.A., Doug Mann, a top Ohio Injury Attorney served as a bodily injury claims adjuster at a major insurance firm. With over 40+ years of experience, Doug’s background has proven invaluable in securing maximum cash settlements for his clients swiftly. Since leaving the insurance industry, Doug has devoted his entire legal career to assisting injured clients during their times of greatest need.
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This page has been written, edited, and reviewed by a team of legal writers following our comprehensive editorial guidelines. This page was approved by Founding Partner, Doug Mann who has more than 20 years of legal experience as a practicing personal injury attorney.
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