A 20-year-old man was injured in an amusement park accident at Disneyland's California Adventure the night of August 18, 2010. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, the man fell about 25 feet from a platform at The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror while waiting in line with friends. Disneyland officials say the man climbed over a barrier to the area below, lost his balance and fell. He was transported to a local hospital, but did not suffer life-threatening injuries. Police say the incident appears to have been an accident.

I hope the man did not sustain any major injuries. I wish him the very best for a speedy and complete recovery.

Theme Park Accident Statistics

According to annual reports issued by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, there are about 2,500 amusement park ride-related personal injuries each year in the United States. In 2004 alone there were 67 deaths related to amusement park rides. These accidents could occur for a variety of reasons including mechanical failure, product defects, inadequate maintenance, lack of safety features, operator error or design defects.

Liability Issues

In this particular case, if the details of this news report are accurate, it appears that the rider may have been at fault for climbing over a barrier and doing something he should not have done. However, in many amusement park ride cases, injuries occur because of improper ride maintenance or operator error.

Victims who have been injured as a result of negligence on the part of the ride operator or due to a defective or malfunctioning product, can seek compensation to cover medical expenses, loss of wages, cost of hospitalization, rehabilitation and other related damages. An experienced Orange County personal injury lawyer will be able to advise victims and their families about their legal rights and options in such cases.

Amusement and theme parks are required under the law to have safety mechanisms in place and maintain their rides regularly. When these laws are violated, theme park operators can be held liable for personal injuries or wrongful death. The best personal injury law firms will always offer a free consultation and comprehensive claim evaluation to victims and their families.

Do you feel safe on theme park rides? What are some of your concerns?

None of the parties mentioned in this article are represented by us at the time this article was posted. The source of our information is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident and have questions as to your rights and options, call a reputable law firm for a consultation. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. The BISNAR | CHASE personal injury law firm will provide free, confidential consultation to "not at fault" persons and their family members if you mention your source was the “Personal Injury Law Journal." They can be reached at 866-456-5235 during California business hours.