Ten people were hurt on Thursday night at Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park. The Orange County, California roller coaster accident happened when two of the cars "made contact" on the Pony Express ride while close to the ride's boarding area.
The ten riders were treated at different hospitals near the park. They all reported minor neck and back injuries. The cause of the Orange County, California amusement park accident is not known at this time.
Roller Coaster Accidents
According to studies, thousands of people are treated in hospital emergency rooms each year because of injuries they sustained on roller coasters. Although roller coasters and other amusement park rides are known for their fun, thrills, and chills, the flipside is that serious injuries can result in the event that a ride malfunctions or someone with a preexisting medical condition suffers a heart attack or some other serious illness while on the ride.
Recently, the family of 13-year-old Teagan Marti agreed on a pre-lawsuit amusement park accident settlement with Extreme World in Wisconsin Dells for an undisclosed amount. Marti sustained serious injuries, including brain swelling, severe fractures to her pelvis and spin, and lacerations to her spleen, liver, and intestines when she fell 100 feet to the ground from the Terminal Velocity ride. The air bags and nets that were supposed to catch riders had not been raised.
The ride operator, Charles A. Carnell, has been charged with one count of first-degree reckless injury. The 33-year-old man says he "blanked out" and did not see the "all clear" signal before he released the girl. Marti's family is considering filing a products liability lawsuit against Montic, the ride's manufacturer.
Roller coaster crash injures 10 people, CNN, October 8, 2010
APNewsBreak: Settlement in Wis. ride accident, Google/AP, October 2, 2010
Related Web Resources:
Pony E. Express, Knott's Berry Farm
If you or someone you love was injured in an Orange County, California amusement park accident, contact our Buena park personal injury law firm today.
