Amusement Park Accident Attorneys Serving Tennessee
According to the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA), thrill rides are remarkably safe. Noting an average of only one serious injury for every 15.5 million rides, the IAAPA suggests that a vast majority of amusement park guests only experience excitement. However, every summer, more than 385 million guests take roughly 1.7 billion rides at fixed-site amusement parks across the country. Even with the industry’s safety record, that’s a lot of opportunity for serious harm to guests.
Want to learn more about what The Haynes Firm can do to best prepare and argue your amusement park accident claim? Call our Johnson City attorneys at
or contact us online today to Schedule your free consultation today.
What Qualifies as an Amusement Park in Tennessee?
The term amusement park almost always refers to a permanently situated facility, but in Tennessee, when regulators talk about an “amusement park,” they really mean any venue that operates an “amusement device.” This is defined as “any mechanical or structural device that carries or conveys a person…for the purpose of giving persons amusement, pleasure, thrills or excitement.” All the same, there are some exceptions, such as wave pools, ice-skating rinks, skateboard parks, hayrides, mechanical bulls, and go-karts, which do not qualify as amusement devices.
Amusement park liability may apply to:
- Theme parks
- Water parks
- Adventure parks (trampoline parks, mountain coasters, etc.)
- Portable midways
- Traveling carnivals
- Fairground rides
In Tennessee, the Amusement Device Unit requires annual third-party inspections and ASTM-compliant reports before a ride can be operated or ridden. Failures can still slip through the cracks. So too can human error, oversight, and general negligence. Tragically, when negligence overrides safety, a fun family day trip to Anakeesta, Nashville Shores, Ober Mountain, or even the county fair can end in catastrophic injury.
When this happens to you or someone you love, talking to an experienced Tennessee amusement park injury lawyer can help you understand your rights and options.
Contact a Johnson City Amusement Park Injury Lawyer for FREE
To schedule a FREE and confidential case review with one of the experienced amusement park accident attorneys at The Haynes Firm, call our Johnson City office at 423-928-0165 today. We serve individuals and families impacted by amusement park negligence throughout Tennessee.
Olen Haynes Jr. is a caring, attentive, and detail oriented lawyer. When we had our car accident it turned my life upside down. Mr. Haynes went above and beyond our expectations for providing us closure. Even though our case has concluded we received a Christmas Card from them which really added a personal touch. I highly recommend this firm.
The Haynes firm was recommended to me by another respected attorney out of state, and I can give them the highest praise. My case was a complicated wrongful death case that took much time and effort to resolve, but the staff at the Haynes firm never stopped working diligently with me for a resolution. Every member of their staff is courteous and professional. Calls are returned quickly, and I was treated with the utmost respect. They kept me informed every step of the way.
When you are going through a lawsuit it is an emotional experience but having an experienced team of attorneys on your side makes the entire process so much easier. When I had questions, they were answered with care and consideration of the sensitive circumstances of my case. From the first day I contacted them I felt like they were going to give their best efforts on my behalf. At the conclusion of my litigation, they felt like friends who truly believed in the merits of my case.
Nobody wants to be in a situation that they need to hire a lawyer, but if you do, please consider the Haynes firm. I just wish I could give them more than five stars.
Forms of Amusement Park Negligence
Amusement park negligence can take several forms, all of which place park visitors at heightened risk for serious or fatal injury. Our amusement park injury lawyers can assist with accidents caused by all forms of negligence, including:
- Mechanical Failures: Such as broken lap bars, failed hydraulic cylinders, or worn cables that might snap mid-ride.
- Operator Negligence: Including starting or stopping a ride abruptly, ignoring height restrictions, or operating while distracted or impaired.
- Inadequate Operator Training: Ride attendants who never learned emergency braking protocols or evacuation procedures.
- Failure to Inspect: This can include skipping daily test runs, neglecting sensor calibration, or forging inspection logs.
- Design or Manufacturing Defects: Such as inherently unsafe restraints, software glitches, or structural design flaws.
- Crowd-Management Lapses: Including poorly marked queue lines, inadequate railing, or insufficient staff or supervision.
When an amusement park employee or owner’s actions or inaction result in harm, victims are entitled to hold them accountable and seek compensation, but swift action is incredibly important. The statute of limitations for amusement park injuries in Tennessee is just one year under most circumstances.
Our Johnson City amusement park accident lawyers are here to meet with you free of both obligation and costs to listen to your story, assess your case, and help you determine how to move forward.
Common Amusement Park Injuries
Thrill rides are designed to excite. While often producing the illusion of danger, amusement park attractions are intended to be safe. The way these rides elicit thrill responses, however, can easily cause real, sometimes permanent damage.
Common amusement park injuries include:
- Spinal cord trauma and paralysis
- Head and brain injury
- Severe lacerations and burns
- Amputations
- Internal organ damage
- Crush injuries
- Drownings
These injuries can occur on a poorly maintained rollercoaster, an improperly controlled Tilt-A-Whirl, or a negligently monitored water slide. They can also occur due to slip and fall accidents when simply walking around a park.
No matter where in a park an injury occurs, victims should not have to face the financial consequences alone. At The Haynes Firm, our Johnson City amusement park injury lawyers know the long-term consequences of serious injury. Applying our more than 70 years of combined legal experience, we also know how to help victims of injury get the fair and full compensation they deserve.
Who Can Be Held Liable for Amusement Park Injuries?
Liability is the cornerstone of any personal injury claim, but when it comes to amusement parks, determining who is to blame can be complicated. Depending on the circumstances, liability might even be shared among multiple people and entities, including:
- Park Owners and Operators. The owners and operators of amusement parks might be liable for injuries that occur due to things like negligent maintenance protocols, inadequate staffing, or unsafe premises.
- Property Management and Security Companies. The companies responsible for general safety at parks can be held liable for injuries resulting from lighting failures, trip hazards, and negligent crowd control.
- Ride Manufacturers and Designers. The designers and crafters of rides can be held liable for injuries resulting from manufacturing defects or faulty design.
- Component Suppliers. Companies that manufacture parts for rides, such as seat belts, lap bars, and control systems, can be held liable for injuries when their parts fail.
- Maintenance Contractors. Those responsible for maintaining rides can be held liable for injuries related to botched repairs, negligent maintenance, or substandard inspections.
- Concessionaires and Vendors. From foodborne illnesses to slip and fall hazards, concession operators and third-party vendors can be held liable for injuries caused by their negligence.
To determine liability, your amusement park injury lawyer will need to investigate its cause. This may involve interviewing witnesses, reviewing security footage, and working with accident reconstruction experts to identify all liable parties. It is important to remember, however, that insurance adjustors and attorneys for the amusement park will be doing the same thing, only with the intent of reducing or denying you compensation.
Tennessee’s modified comparative fault rule allows victims of injury to seek compensation even if they are partially liable for an accident. Under these circumstances, the settlement or verdict is reduced by the percentage of fault assigned. For example, if you are awarded a $100,000 settlement but found to be 10% liable, your actual settlement would be $90,000. In Tennessee, if you are found more than 50% liable for an accident, you are barred from seeking damages through legal action.
At The Haynes Firm, our lawyers protect clients against the tactics used to coerce them into taking unfair blame or accepting inadequate settlements. We are prepared to get to work investigating your accident right away to identify all liable parties, and to hold each to account as we seek the total compensation you deserve.
What Types of Damages Can I Seek for an Amusement Park Injury in Tennessee?
Damages you can seek following a serious injury at one of Tennessee’s amusement or theme parks include:
Economic
- Past and future medical bills
- Rehabilitation and assistive devices
- Lost wages and future earning capacity
- All other out-of-pocket expenses related to your injury
Non-Economic
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment in life
- Disfigurement
Economic damages are not capped in Tennessee. You can seek dollar-for-dollar compensation for all of your tangible costs and financial losses. Non-economic damages are capped in Tennessee at $750,000. If the injury is catastrophic, this cap can be increased to $1 million.
Every amusement park accident is different. How your accident and subsequent injuries have and will continue to impact your life is entirely unique. Our lawyers will take time to understand the true cost of your injury, economically, emotionally, and physically, and seek compensation representative of your experiences.
Why Choose Our Amusement Park Injury Lawyers?
If you have been injured in an amusement park accident, The Haynes Firm is here to help. We offer:
- Decades of trial-tested experience. Our amusement park injury lawyers bring more than seven decades of combined legal experience to every case. We build each case for the possibility of a trial, even if a settlement is likely.
- A thorough investigative process. With in-house experience and external specialists, we investigate thoroughly to find out exactly how an accident occurred and who can be held accountable.
- Local insight. Based in Johnson City, we know Tennessee amusement park regulations and what it looks like when those regulations are violated. We also know what it takes to live comfortably in our state and fight to ensure our clients receive every penny they are due.
- Personal attention. Our lawyers are directly involved in each case we take. We know how confusing and frightening it can be to deal with an amusement park injury. We will stand by your side, protect your interests, and fight for the justice your injury demands.
- No Win, No Fee. We work on a contingency basis. We only get paid after we have secured a settlement or verdict on your behalf. If we don’t win, you don’t pay for our services.
When a fun day at the park turns into a life-altering disaster, you need a law firm that doesn’t flinch at complex engineering evidence or Tennessee’s tight statute of limitations. We work swiftly and fight tirelessly to help you rebuild your life, so you can focus on recovering.
Contact Our Tennessee Amusement Park Accident Lawyers for FREE
If you’ve been hurt at an amusement park, fair, or carnival in Tennessee, you may be entitled to compensation. Contact The Haynes Firm online or call our Johnson City office today to schedule a FREE case review and learn how we can help.
