If you grew up in New Jersey during the 70s or 80s, odds are that you know about New Jersey’s famous, or possibly infamous depending on who you ask, Action Park. The amusement park opened in 1978, was shuttered in 1995 only to open again in 1998 under different ownership and a different name, and in 2010 it reverted back to its classic title after the family who opened the park bought it back. 
A recent article appearing on New York Magazine’s website recounts of some of the accidents that happened at the park’s older iteration:
In 1980, a person was killed on the Alpine Slide, a ride that included a slide that was 2,700 feet long that park patrons would ride down on individual wheeled carts. The person died when his cart slipped off the track, and, as noted in the New York article, his death was the first of four that would occur at Action Park.
Two patrons drowned in the park’s Wave Pool in separate instances, one in 1985 and the other in 1987. The summer of 1985 was particularly dangerous for riders of the Cannonball Loop, a ride designed by the original owner of the park, with 110 reported injuries occurring on the Loop.
Despite Safety Improvements, Amusement Parks Can Still Be Dangerous
Although we are many years removed from the dangerous older days of Action Park in New Jersey, an amusement park accident can still cause injuries or even death.
A June 12 article on the website of the LA Times details an accident at California’s Great America theme park in which two were injured at a ride called Top Gun. As part of the ride, patrons’ feet dangle in the air. As noted in the Times article, a man was killed in 1998 when a rider’s foot struck him in the head as he went to pick up a dropped cap.
If an Amusement Park Accident Affects You, a Personal Injury Attorney Can Help
While theme parks can be a great time for the family, they can also be very dangerous in certain circumstances, sometimes resulting in injuries or wrongful deaths. If you or a loved one are hurt in an amusement park accident, the park may be liable if negligence on its part played a role in the incident. A New Jersey personal injury attorney can help you determine whether you have a right to pursue damages for an injury or wrongful death caused by an amusement park accident.
Spevack Law Firm – Middlesex County Injury Attorneys
