Many New York residents have likely gone on zip line rides at some point in their lives. Unfortunately, these amusement rides aren’t always safe.
For example, on Sept. 1, a 10-year-old boy was seriously injured when he fell 20 feet from the “Sky Rider” zip line ride at the Urban Air Trampoline and Adventure Park in Lakeland, Florida. A video of the incident shows the boy fly through the air and plummet to the concrete floor below when the indoor zip line reaches the end of the track.
An investigation by the Florida Department of Agriculture determined that the zip line operator failed to buckle the leg straps on the boy’s harness before the ride began. As a result, the child was forced to use his arm strength to cling to a tether above his head as the zip line went around the track. When the ride reached the end, his strength gave out, and he fell to the ground. Inspectors also determined that the zip line equipment was in good condition and played no role in the accident. Instead, the incident was blamed on operator error. The boy’s family recently filed a lawsuit claiming that the fall caused him to suffer significant injuries. The park issued a statement saying it was retraining its employees on ride safety issues.
Amusement park owners must train all employees to safely operate rides. If someone is injured on a ride as a result of employee negligence, the owners could be held financially responsible. An attorney could review the case and help file a premises liability lawsuit seeking compensation for medical bills, rehabilitation costs, pain and suffering and other related losses.