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Injuries at Carnivals, Fairs, and Festivals

Many adults still have memories of visiting carnivals, fairs, and amusement parks as children. There were games to play, prizes to win, and delicious food to eat. And, of course, there were all the fun rides, which often meant talking one’s parents into buying a few more tickets. Even now, you may have children, grandchildren, or other young family members who grow excited about the mention of visiting a fair.

Plus, as adults, there are now a number of festivals that have a more mature audience in mind. Whether you love art, music, motorcycles, wine, or almost anything else, there is probably a festival that celebrates it. And what could be more fun than bringing together hundreds or thousands of like-minded individuals?

While attendance at carnivals, fairs, festivals, and amusement parks normally results in mostly fun, it doesn’t always work out that way. Unfortunately, some people are injured and killed at these events. That brings us to the topic of this article – what should you do if you are one of these unfortunate people who suffers injury at a fair, festival, or similar event?

How Common Are Amusement Park Accidents?

According to NBC News, the number of accidents could be greater than you would think. The news organization cites a U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission estimate that in 2016 amusement park rides resulted in almost 31,000 injuries seen in emergency departments. But this only addresses those injuries resulting specifically from amusement park rides. Many other people are injured in other ways at these types of events.

How Are People Injured at Fairs, Festivals, and Other Special Events?

Injuries resulting from amusement park rides can be catastrophic and definitely draw the most attention in the press. But there are lots of other ways to sustain injuries. The following are some examples of how injuries can occur:

  • Automobile accidents in parking lots.
  • Motor vehicles striking pedestrians in parking lots.
  • Trip and fall accidents caused by dangerous conditions.
  • Slip and fall accidents in amusement park restaurants and bathrooms.
  • Assaults – one insurance brokerage states that stabbings are one of the top five causes of injury at music festivals, which can draw thousands of fans.

Essentially, almost anything that can happen at any other type of business can happen at a fair, festival, or similar event.

Recovering for Your Injuries

If another person’s negligence results in your injury, you often have an avenue of recovery. Moreover, just as you see with automobile accidents and other personal injury cases, there may be insurance companies involved. The law of premises liability often applies, but the legal analysis can vary depending on the specifics of your case.

Additionally, sometimes there are complications in determining exactly who to sue. For example, some events involve multiple corporations, vendors, subcontractors and other people or entities who may or may not have complicated contractual relationships. A good lawyer can assist you with these issues.

Call with Questions

If you or a loved one has suffered personal injury at a carnival, festival, fair, amusement park, or similar event, you will almost certainly have questions about how you should proceed. We are here to answer them. The personal injury attorneys at Nelson MacNeil Rayfield handle cases for injured victims all over Oregon. Please call us for a free consultation so that we can ensure that you understand your rights. And if you decide you need legal representation, we will be here for you. We believe that it is imperative that wrongdoers be held accountable for their actions so that society will be safer for everyone.