Las Vegas has adapted with the times and abandoned its “Sin City” moniker for a more family-friendly visage. Today, guests of all ages can enjoy museums, race car tracks, botanical gardens, tours, and, of course, thrill rides. Hotels like Circus Circus and New York New York are home to exhilarating roller coasters that attract thrill-seekers of all ages.
But what happens when someone is injured on one of these roller coasters? In accordance with Nevada state laws, amusement and transportation rides attached to Las Vegas hotels are annually inspected by third-party companies and the Department of Fire Prevention. But there is one issue where all theme parks seem to fall short: accommodating people with disabilities while maintaining a standard of public safety.
TRAGIC INCIDENT AT A LAS VEGAS HOTEL
Last March, a “double amputee” fell from El Loco, the Adventure Dome roller coaster at Circus Circus. Though tragic, this isn’t the first accident linked to this 72-second ride; in fact, there have been two other reported incidents that resulted in severe injuries since the ride opened in 2014. MGM Resorts reopened the ride last Monday, but not before completing an extensive investigation and retraining its ride operators.
A hotel guest can sustain the following injuries during a roller coaster accident:
- Neck injuries
- Back injuries
- Broken bones
- Whiplash
- Traumatic brain injury
- Lacerations
- Stroke
- Loss of limb
- Burn injuries
- Paralysis
A hotel owes a duty of care to its guests that extends to any attractions and entertainment options available on its premises. Ride operators, in particular, have two critical duties: instructing guests and monitoring a ride for risks. This includes making sure that guests are the appropriate ages and heights for a ride, making sure everyone is properly strapped in, and stopping the ride if there is an emergency.
GROUNDS FOR PURSUING DAMAGES
If a guest is harmed in a roller coaster accident at a Las Vegas hotel, they may have grounds to pursue damages by filing a claim against the negligent parties based on the principles of negligence, premises liability, product defect liability, and/or vicarious liability.
The following parties can be held liable after a hotel roller coaster accident:
- The hotel owner or operator
- The hotel’s parent company
- The ride engineers
- The ride operators
- The safety inspectors
- The equipment manufacturers
A roller coaster is designed for speed and thrills above all else. Safety, however, must be a first priority. Unfortunately, it’s not unusual for an accident survivor to sustain life-changing injuries that necessitate expensive and ongoing medical treatments. It can be difficult for a survivor to pay their bills and afford new disability accommodations if they can’t even hold gainful employment.
This is a grim scenario, but it is the reality that some guests face who suffer injury while enjoying the accommodations these hotels have to offer. In this situation, an accident survivor needs to contact a lawyer as soon as possible.
PURSUE COMPENSATION FOR YOUR ROLLER COASTER ACCIDENT
Contact the casino injury lawyers at Bernstein & Poisson if you or a loved one has sustained injuries in a roller coaster accident. Our skilled legal team can help you file a claim against the at-fault parties, negotiate with insurance company representatives on your behalf, and, if necessary, represent your interests in court.
Rely on 60+ years of experience. Call Bernstein & Poisson at (702) 633-3333 to schedule a case evaluation today.
