Knott’s Berry Farm Injury Lawsuit Filed by Family of 6-Year-Old Boy
Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park, California, has been hit with a personal injury lawsuit accusing the theme park of poorly maintaining its Timber Mountain Log Ride, leading to at least 10 people being injured in similar circumstances.
It is one of at least two Knott’s Berry Farm injury lawsuits to be filed against the theme park recently.
Log Ride Leads to Knott’s Berry Farm Injury Lawsuit
The latest Knott’s Berry Farm injury lawsuit was filed by the family of a 6-year-old boy from Illinois who suffered a fractured eye socket from his face hitting the seat in front of him when the log ride abruptly stopped after the ride’s final drop.
A minimum of 10 other riders have been involved in similar injuries and accidents on the same ride between 2010 and 2014, according to the Knott’s Berry Farm injury lawsuit. A previous case settled for an undisclosed amount after a young girl sustained eye injuries on the same ride.
California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health has investigated at least nine injuries reported on the Timber Mountain Log Ride between 2010 and 2012, including injuries such as lacerations near the eye and chipped teeth.
The Department of Industrial Relations also conducted an investigation of the attraction in 2015 and found that water levels on the ride were not being monitored correctly due to a defective device. Knott’s Berry Farm was ordered to initiate repairs and pay over $5,000 in inspection fees.
Plaintiffs in the Knott’s Berry Farm injury lawsuit accuse the theme park of failing to maintain appropriate water levels on the Timber Mountain Log Ride, which caused “the logs to decelerate in a dangerous manner.”
If there is too much water at the bottom of the ride’s final drop, according to the Knott’s Berry Farm injury lawsuit, the transport system carrying the passengers will stop too quickly, causing injuries. If there is not enough water, the log will skip across the water and slam into the side of the attraction.
The Knott’s Berry Farm injury lawsuit also accuses the amusement park of failing to have a restraint system in place to keep riders from slamming into the seat in front of them and requests that the theme park be responsible for paying earnings lost and medical costs for the injuries sustained.
The Knott’s Berry Farm Log Ride first opened in 1969 and was considered very innovative at the time due to its reliance on water to move the vehicles across the route.
What You Should Know About Theme Park Injuries
On the whole, theme park injuries can become serious medical problems if not treated immediately.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission states that in 2006, nearly 9,000 people sustained injuries at theme parks. Some of the most common injuries sustained by victims in amusement park accidents include stroke, death, back and head injuries, brain aneurysms, broken bones, lacerations, and drowning.
Many of these theme park injuries could be prevented or minimized if the amusement park did everything possible to promote safety or build these rides effectively.
When injuries happen, victims may be eligible to seek compensation for their injuries.
If you or someone you know has been hurt in an accident like this, you may have a legal claim. Fill out the form on this page now for a FREE case evaluation.
