Every year, water parks across America welcome millions of guests looking to escape the summer heat and have some fun with friends and family. Unfortunately, water parks are also dangerous places. For some guests, the fun can quickly turn to tragedy.
If you’ve been hurt during a visit to the water park in the North Myrtle Beach area, Jebaily Law Firm is ready to help. For the last half-century, our firm has fought for injured victims’ rights in South Carolina, securing millions of dollars in compensation for our clients. Our team has more than 100 years of combined experience, which gives us the knowledge and resources to provide you with the highest quality legal care.
If you’ve been injured in an accident at a water park, we want to hear from you. Contact the Jebaily Law Firm today for a free consultation with an experienced water park accident lawyer in North Myrtle Beach.
North Myrtle Beach Water Park Injury Facts and Statistics
The lack of regulation and oversight in the water park industry makes it hard to know for certain just how many people are injured every year. However, the following available statistics shed some light on the matter:
- The Associated Press reported that more than 4,200 people were taken to emergency rooms for injuries sustained in public water slides in one recent year. That figure does not include injuries sustained in the water or simply on water park property.
- According to the CDC, drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional death for children 1-4, second only to car accidents.
- A report by NJ.com revealed that water slides are by far the most dangerous amusement park rides in terms of injuries. In fact, they accounted for more injuries in a recent five-year period than the three next-most dangerous rides combined – go-karts, water rapids, and rollercoasters.
Causes of Water Park Accidents in North Myrtle Beach
Accidents at water parks can happen for a variety of reasons. Some of the most common contributing factors include:
- Distracted lifeguards – Water parks should employ lifeguards to ensure the safety of all visitors. Visitors are at risk when their safety is left in the hands of distracted or disinterested lifeguards.
- Inexperienced lifeguards – Simply employing lifeguards is not enough to safeguard water park visitors. These lifeguards must also be trained to know how to quickly and effectively respond to an emergency.
- Not enough lifeguards on duty – Water parks, especially large ones, should always make sure enough lifeguards are on duty to watch over all areas of the park. When there is an insufficient number of lifeguards, help is sparse, and an accident may go unnoticed.
- Equipment operator inexperience – An inexperienced ride operator cannot safely manage the complicated equipment in their care or respond to malfunctions when they happen, putting park guests at risk.
- Faulty equipment – All rides and slides at water parks should be maintained regularly for safety. Malfunctioning or broken-down equipment can lead to injury.
- The inherent risks of the slide or ride – Some slides and other rides are fundamentally dangerous for users because of their steep drops, tight turns, low overhangs, or other hazards. Riders with certain health conditions may be at increased risk, especially when they’re not warned of those risks ahead of time.
- Overcrowding – The sheer popularity of water parks can increase the risk of accidents, as thousands of visitors put wear on rides and jostle each other next to slippery surfaces. That is particularly true when park operators do not properly supervise their property to ensure safety.
Common Types of Water Park Accidents in North Myrtle Beach
Some of the most common types of water park accidents include:
- Drowning or near-drowning – Drowning or near-drowning is possible when park operators provide insufficient supervision around water, especially with hundreds or thousands of guests splashing nearby.
- Slip-and-fall – The walkways at water parks are typically wet, making it easy for someone to slip and fall. Additionally, falls from heights are common, especially from ladders and tall rides.
- Electrocution – Unsafe electrical wiring near water can result in electrocution.
- Food poisoning – Some concession stands at water parks do not properly employ food safety practices, which can result in food poisoning.
Water Park Accident Injuries
Some of the most common injuries resulting from water park accidents include:
- Drowning
- Lacerations and bruises
- Broken bones
- Broken teeth
- Tailbone injuries
- Head and neck injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
- Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
While even minor injuries can be painful, severe ones can take a long time to heal, impacting day-to-day life and resulting in extensive medical bills. However, if the owners or operators of the water park were to blame for your injuries, you shouldn’t be left to pay for your losses.
Proving Negligence in a Water Park Accident Case
Different parties could be legally liable for causing an accident at a water park, including:
- The water park owner
- Lifeguards
- Attendants
- Ride operators
- Ride manufacturers
- Ride designers
Holding one of these parties legally liable for your injuries involves establishing their negligence, a legal concept that consists of the following four elements:
- The party owed you a duty of care. The party should have taken steps to prevent you from coming to harm. For a water park owner, this could mean hiring enough lifeguards or paying for regular maintenance to rides and walkways, for example.
- The party’s actions or inaction breached the duty of care. The party who owed you a duty of care failed to take the necessary steps. A lifeguard can breach their duty of care by, for example, dozing off instead of staying alert, while an owner could breach their duty of care by failing to fix a broken ride.
- The breach resulted in your accident and injuries. You must prove that the party’s actions or inaction ultimately resulted in your injuries.
- You suffered losses. You must prove the accident and injuries resulted in actual losses, which may include medical bills, lost wages while you’re out of work, pain and suffering, and more.
Our water park injury lawyers in North Myrtle Beach can investigate the incident, determine who is at fault, and help you seek monetary recovery.
Compensation for a Water Park Injury
If someone else is at fault for the accident in which you were injured, you could be entitled to financial compensation for losses like:
- Medical expenses
- Physical rehabilitation
- Lost wages and earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life
Contact the Jebaily Law Firm to File a Water Park Injury Claim
If you’ve been injured in an accident at a water park and someone else is to blame, Jebaily Law Firm is here to help you seek the compensation you need. Contact us today for a free consultation with a North Myrtle Beach water park injury lawyer.
