California residents who enjoy going to amusement parks may wonder from time to time if the rides they go on are entirely safe. Unfortunately, a recent incident in Daytona Beach, Florida, does not provide reassurance. On the night of June 14, a Daytona Beach Boardwalk roller coaster derailed, sending two riders plunging 34 feet to the ground and leaving two other riders dangling upside down.
The two people who fell suffered traumatic injuries. A special tech rescue team, part of the city’s fire department, rescued the eight riders who were stuck. The operation was a time-sensitive one as the dangling cars were in danger of falling at any time. In all, nine people were admitted to the hospital. Their conditions are currently unknown.
The Sand Blaster, as the roller coaster is called, had been in operation in Daytona Beach since 2013. It was purchased from an amusement park in Delaware, where it had seen about 35 years of use. The owner of the ride has not yet commented on the incident.
Though the ride passed an inspection the morning of June 14, another test conducted after the incident revealed a deficiency in structural integrity. Two inspections in May pointed out multiple deficiencies, which were nonetheless corrected. The cause of the accident, then, is still unclear.
In a case like this, victims may be compensated for medical expenses, physical and emotional trauma and other losses. All they have to do is file a premises liability claim against the owner of the amusement park. It will take a lawyer and his or her network of investigators, photographers and other experts, though, to show exactly how the owner was negligent. Victims can start by requesting a case evaluation. An attorney can then calculate a fair settlement and begin negotiations out of court, leaving aside litigation as a last resort.
Source: CNN, ‘Florida agency probing roller coaster derailment in Daytona Beach,” Jamiel Lynch, Holly Roberts and Joe Sutton, June 16, 2018