If you’re a thrill-seeker, it’s something you never think about. And if just the idea of riding a roller coaster makes you want to faint, it’s all you can think about – roller coaster cart derailments. This is when a cart, or seat, of a roller coaster comes unhinged from the actual rails or track, and ends up coming fully or partially off. It’s anyone’s worst nightmare, and it happens more commonly than you might think.
In July 2014, four people were injured and another 30 were stuck upside down when a roller coaster cart in Six Flags, Los Angeles derailed. Even more recently in June 2016, 10 people were injured by a roller coaster cart derailment in Scotland. Of course no one ever thinks that they’re going to walk away from a roller coaster with serious injuries, but unfortunately if you’re on a roller coaster at any time a cart derails – even if it’s not the cart you’re occupying – the injuries can be serious.
- If your cart derails while you’re on a roller coaster, either coming all the way off the tracks or even partially, the injuries will most likely be quite severe.
- Minor to severe cuts on face, arms, and legs
- Minor to severe bruising on face, arms, and legs
- Broken limbs
- Whiplash
- Broken neck and/or back
- Broken ribs
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), including concussion, skull fractures
- Internal bleeding
- Death
These results will most likely be the result of traveling at a high speed, and/or the result of crashing into something, which might be the only thing that stops the cart. After the cart derails from the tracks, it could also fall over, which can result in crushing limbs, especially along the side of the body.
But you don’t have to be in the cart at the time of derailment in order to be injured, you just have to be on the roller coaster. Should a cart come derailed while you’re on the coaster, the ride will most likely come to an immediate stop, which can leave you hanging upside down, crashing into other people or other cars, and getting thrown around inside your own cart. This can leave with you just as many injuries, and the same type of injuries, you would sustain if your own cart had come derailed.
If you’ve sustained cart derailment injuries at an amusement park, whether it was your own cart or not, give the San Diego amusement park accident attorneys a call at Jurewitz Law Group Injury & Accident Lawyers today. Amusement parks have been held responsible in the past for not providing safe rides for their guests, and we’d like to hold those responsible for your injuries liable, too. For a free consultation today, or call us at (888) 233-5020. We know how devastating cart derailment injuries can be, and we want to do whatever we can to help you with yours.
