When Are Amusement Parks Responsible for Injuries?

Amusement park injuries are commonplace in our country. In fact, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) estimates that there were 30,000 amusement park injuries during 2016. Ride malfunctions cause some of these injuries. Several weeks ago, a ride malfunction at the Ohio State Fair caused one death and multiple injuries. According to investigators, a row of seats was ejected from the Fire Ball ride. Two individuals on the ride were tossed more than 20 feet before landing on concrete. Others were injured after being struck by pieces of equipment that were ejected. According to the ride’s manufacturer, excessive corrosion was the cause of the amusement park accident. Tragedies like the one that occurred in Ohio happen every year across the country. Last year at a water park in Kansas City, a 10-year-old boy was decapitated on a water slide. Months later, two young children and a teenager fell off a Ferris wheel in Tennessee. There have also been fatal accidents at Texas theme parks. In 2014, a woman died after falling from a rollercoaster at Six Flags in Arlington, Texas.

How Can Amusement Park Accidents Happen?

Amusement park accidents may be caused by:

• Amusement park ride operators. Ride operators are responsible for explaining instructions to park goers and ensuring they are safe. These are the folks who may strap you into a ride or explain safety instructions. If these individuals are not adequately trained or if they are ineffective at communicating, then you could be put in harm’s way.

• Poor maintenance practices. There is very little oversight in the amusement park industry. As a result, some amusement parks may have poor maintenance procedures. Rides can break down from wear and tear, which may pose a danger. For example, if the latches that keep you seated on a rollercoaster fail, you could be ejected from the ride.

• Defective equipment. Amusement park rides may contain design or manufacturing defects. For example, doors, lap bars, or harnesses may contain defects. In other cases, rides may be designed in a way that is dangerous to you or others.

• Poor signage. Theme parks have several restricted areas with safety hazards. For example, at a Six Flags park in 2008, a parkgoer was decapitated by a ride after walking into a restricted area to retrieve his hat. When theme parks fail to warn parkgoers of hazards, they can suffer injuries or wrongful death.

These are only a few examples of how theme park accidents may occur. If you or a loved one suffered harm during a theme park accident, then you may have options to recover damages from the parties who are responsible. Contact the Texas personal injury attorneys at Mike Love & Associates, LLC, and you can learn whether you have options to recover damages.

Are Chemical Companies Poisoning Our Environment?

A few years ago, Denmark faced the difficult task of replacing popcorn bags that use grease resistant fluorinated chemicals called PFOA’s. These chemicals have been found to accumulate in human organs if ingested. Chemical manufacturing companies can be at fault, such as Dupont in West Virginia, where over 3,000 people filed personal injury lawsuits after local water sources were tainted with PFOA’s from a chemical spill. Dupont had to pay over $670 million for damages while producing Teflon, the substance used to coat pots and pans. These chemicals have been linked to multiple cancers, thyroid disease, and high cholesterol after ingesting. Facing backlash, companies have started using alternatives that are often derivatives of the same chemicals. These can still be dangerous for human health. Keep reading below for how to keep yourself safe from contaminants in your area.

How To Protect Yourself From Local Chemical Manufacturers

• Know your environment: Knowing major chemical manufacturing companies, the products they produce, and keeping up with local product safety and environmental news can help you know if something hazardous is in your area.
• Chemical manufacturers misstate facts: Representatives for chemical companies have stated that the alternative “shorter bonded” versions of the PFOA’s are not harmful, and use them instead. However, studies exist on these newer versions of the chemicals that say otherwise. They cannot break down in nature, so they are found pretty much everywhere that is exposed to them.

If you live near a plant that produces products such as fast-food wrappers, Teflon, or other known dangerous substances, monitor your health. If you think your health may have been damaged by a local manufacturer, let us know your story.

Lawn Mower Mistakes to Avoid at All Costs

Last week, our blog discussed how cleaning products can be misused with tragic results. There are additional spring cleaning tips that are necessary for staying safe. Lawn mowers can cause catastrophic injuries or death, sometimes without any warning. According to statistics collected by the Academy of Pediatrics, lawn mowers injure 68,000 people every year. More than 9,400 of those injuries involve children. Common lawn mower injuries to children include lacerations, amputations and fractures.It is a matter of vital importance to keep your children inside while mowing the lawn, and to ensure children they are old enough to use this equipment.

Why Should You Keep Children Inside While Mowing the Lawn?

There are several ways children can be injured while parents are mowing the lawn. For example, parents may fail to see their children are in the path of the mower. Last year, a Houston man accidently backed over his 4-year-old son’s foot while mowing the lawn. The boy was treated at Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital for a lacerated foot. According to the father, he was unaware his son was in the path of the lawn mower.Children can also run behind or in front of lawn mowers while they are in use. In addition, lawn mower blades can strike rocks or other objects, turning them into high-speed projectiles.

What Other Tips Can Protect Your Children from Lawn Mower Injuries?

Keeping your children inside while you are mowing the lawn is the best surefire way to prevent injuries. However, experts with organizations like the Academy of Pediatrics have other tips that may help keep your children safe.The Academy of Pediatrics has the following suggestions:

• Children under 12 years old should never use push or “walk-behind” mowers
• Children under 16 years old should not use riding lawn mowers
• Parents should never allow their children to be passengers on riding lawn mowers

It is also important to carefully check your surroundings when mowing the lawn. You will not be able to hear children approaching from the side or behind while mowing. If you are going to put the mower in reverse, look behind you beforehand.You should also stay informed of possible recalls. Some lawn and brush mowers may have defects. For example, the Pro-XL-44 field and brush mower has a fuel tank malfunction that may release gasoline liquid or vapors this is a fire hazard.You can check the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s website for more information on lawn or brush mower recalls. If you or a family member were injured by a defective lawn care product, you may have legal options to pursue damages against the manufacturer or retailer. The Texas product liability attorneys at Mike Love & Associates, LLC can help you weigh possible options.