Austin Swimming Park Accident Attorney
Death and serious injuries in Texas owned Waterparks spark change
Man suffers serious injury in Pfluegerville water park
According to an article by the Statesman, a Travis County man sustained a serious neck injury after visiting Hawaiian Falls water and adventure park in Pflugerville. He has filed a lawsuit over his injuries – including relief of up to $100,000 in damages and expenses.
On his visit to the waterpark with his wife and grandson, Lauro Castrejon entered the tall light blue slide on the Aquatube ride. It’s an enclosed slide with twists and turns. Midway down the slide, Castrejon got stuck. The water stopped, and he tried to shuffle forward. Then he heard a loud yell.
Reports say that an overweight individual impeded the flow of water, causing Castrejon to get stuck. After the accident, Castrejon was transported to St. David’s Emergency Center in Pflugerville by ambulance.
What began as a fun family trip to the waterpark was just the beginning of a long and painful lawsuit. You can read the full report from the Statesman here.
Pflugerville Waterpark Reopens Under New Management
An Austin-area waterpark has had a history of bad news reports. Now new owners say they have done extensive work to creating a new experience for guests of the park.
Hawaiian Falls Waterpark to Reopen Under New Management
New owners of the park state they have hard work ahead convincing the public they are different than the previous management.
The park is set to reopen Saturday May 27 as Typhoon Texas. A representative from the new ownership says that they have invested millions in upgrading the park’s safety and appearance.
According to records the Hawaiian Falls park management closed with a net operating loss of more than $784,000.
Texas based Schlitterbahn pays out $14 million in “Verrückt” settlements
The family of Caleb Schwab, a 10-year-old boy who died on the Verrückt water slide, have settled for a total of $20 million.
The settlement is believed to be the largest of its kind in Kansas or Missouri. The settlement involved payments from four companies involved with building, designing, and operating the water slide.
- $14 million from Schlitterbahn associated companies SVV 1 and KC Water Park
- 5 million from the general contractor on the 17-story ride, Henry & Sons Construction
- $500,000 from Zebec of North America, the manufacturers of the raft used on the ride
- $232,125 from National Aquatics Safety Co. and its founder, John Hunsucker, which consulted on Verrückt.
While riding Verrückt, the raft Caleb was riding went airborne and caused Caleb to strike the netting that was propped up by metal poles above the ride. The two women riding the raft with Caleb suffered serious facial injuries and settled separately.
Before entertaining any settlements, the women required that the water park be tore down. It is expected to be torn down following all litigation but still stands at the park.
During the current session of the Kansas Legislature, tighter restrictions were approved of amusement park rides. Previously, the state was known for having relaxed regulations on the safety of amusement park rides. The county in which Caleb died had no regulations on water park rides.
The fair result of this case is an example of how impossible it is to put a value on human life.
The Spinal Cord Injury Lawyer’s View
Our team at McMinn Law firm knows the devastation that a sudden accident can have on a family as they recover, pay for medical bills, and look forward to the future. Legal action can help victims of serious neck or back injury recover the compensation they need to cover medical expenses, loss of work, and damage to a victim’s quality of life.
Jason McMinn and Justin McMinn are experienced neck and back injury attorneys. McMinn Law Firm has successfully fought for clients facing a lawsuit due to gross negligence of a business.
Some critics argue that the contingency system creates a litigious environment that can cause damage to businesses. Our view is that the system provides opportunity for every spinal cord injury survivor to fight for justice when they are injured due to the gross negligence of another party. We believe businesses should be held accountable when they have a gross disregard for the safety of our Central Texas and Austin community. More about damage caps in Texas.
Get the Facts: Austin Swimming Park Accidents Lawyer
Texas’ warm and sunny temperatures make it the perfect spot for establishing and enjoying swimming parks for those who are seeking relief from the heat. Given the fun, rowdy and wet environment, it is a big responsibility for the park authorities to ensure that the place is safe, secure and well-guarded at all times. There are many risks that could happen in these parks, however – slips and falls, accidents, as well as drowning incidents if areas are left unattended. What should have been a fun experience ends up a nightmare with a simple act of negligence. It could lead to severe injuries, or even death at the worst cases. If the authorities can be proven liable for negligence of duty, then a personal injury case may be filed for compensation.
Swimming Park Accidents Can Involve Drowning, Slip + Fall, and Brain Injury
Annually, it has been found that many swimming park injuries involve the negligence of authorities to maintain the safety of its visitors. If the park is not maintained well, it could be dangerous for anyone walking on slippery surfaces in which many could slip, fall, and sustain injuries. Ill-maintained amenities such as slides and other attractions may be potentially dangerous to unknowing visitors. And most commonly, missing lifeguards by the pool could lead to drowning accidents as there is no one who can enforce rules and regulations, and also save anyone who needs help in the middle of the pool. These personnel are trained to save lives, and the failure to do so could result in the opposite.
It is not surprising to find that drowning incidents rank as the fifth highest cause of injury-related deaths in the country. The danger of leaving visitors unattended, regardless if they know how to swim or not, poses high risks as unexpected events may happen anytime. It could be a case of cramps, or a swimmer who tries to save someone else who is drowning. Without proper training on how to save lives, even the fastest swimmers could be in danger.
These are all preventable cases. Park management should be stern and strict when it comes to their staff availability at all times. Proper lighting and maintenance should always be maintained to ensure the environment is safe at any time of the day. The ground should not be slippery even on wet feet and footwear; lighting should be sufficient enough for those staying the night; and lifeguards should be available at all times that the pool is open for the public. If entrance to the park is prohibited, then the park needs to ensure to place adequate signs and security measures to ensure that visitors won’t be able to sneak in.
Park goers themselves can exercise precautionary measures on their own to ensure their safety. By wearing appropriate swim wear and always minding the ground they are walking on, they could prevent slip and fall accidents. By ensuring that children are always accompanied by an adult, and that rules and regulations are observed, then drowning incidents can also be prevented. If you find that you have done your part and yet there is something lacking from the side of the authorities, then you can file for a personal injury claim for the damage caused to you and your family.
Swimming parks are installed for those who want to take a break and relax with the water. As such, it should be well maintained and supervised by the park personnel to ensure that their visitors can be safe while having fun.
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