Waterslide Injuries and Liability

It’s almost summertime! And you know what that means – time to have some fun in the sun. And what family vacation would be complete with a trip to a lake or the ocean, or to a local water park?

The best of all water park attractions has to be the slides. Tennessee has numerous water parks and slides, including Dollywood’s Splash County in the Smoky Mountains, Nashville Shores Lakeside Resort in Hermitage, and Wetlands Water Park in Jonesborough. Water slides should be a lot of fun. Sadly, poorly constructed and improperly monitored slides can cause fatalities and catastrophic injuries.

Types of water park negligence

Water slide accidents at amusement parks and water parks are usually due to poor design, or failing to follow reasonable safety standards. Here at Rocky McElhaney Law Firm, we represent adults and children who have been hurt while at a water park. Most claims fall into one of these categories:

• Product liability for defective products. Defects can be due to faulty manufacture or poor workmanship, or even poor design. If the slide or ride itself has malfunctioned, or has some kind of flaw that could increase the risk of injury, then you can file a product liability lawsuit to recover compensation.
• Negligence by the park owner or operator. Negligence is the failure to use due care – and visitors are owed due care when it comes to their safety and wellbeing. Some common examples of owner/operator negligence for water slides include:
  • Failing to warn users of potential dangers
  • Not screening new hires
  • Not training new hires (or holding additional training sessions to review standards with current employees)
  • Failure to hire lifeguards
  • Not following local building standards
  • Not testing the slide before allowing people to use it
  • Allowing too many people to use the slide
  • Failing to make the surfaces near the slide with non-slip materials
• Wrongful death. These claims are brought for the family survivors on behalf of the person who died. Damages include the funeral costs, lost income, mental suffering, and the loss of love and companionship the decedent would have given the family.

Serious injuries at water parks

Injuries can occur while visitors are in the water, when they come into contact with the edges or perimeter of the slide, or if they are ejected from the ride. Common waterslide injuries include:

• Oxygen deprivation as a result of being under water
• Traumatic brain injury
• Spinal cord damage
• Broken bones
• Cuts and bruises
• Sprains
• Nerve damage
• Comas
• Drowning

The Gladiators in Suits at the Rocky McElhaney Law Firm will always fight for you. We work to get waterslide accident victims compensation for their physical pain, emotional suffering, medical costs, and lost wages. We have the experience and resources to investigate how the accident happened and who’s at fault. To speak with respected Nashville trial lawyers, please call us at 615-425-2500 or use our contact form to make an appointment. We have offices in Nashville, Hendersonville, Knoxville, and throughout Tennessee.