Were you injured at an adventure park? If so, you could be dealing with painful injuries, expensive medical bills, and concerns about the future. Don’t face these challenges alone. Instead, turn to the team at Stein & Shulman, LLC for help. Our Northbrook adventure park injury lawyers know how to investigate your case, prove that the park’s operators are liable for your injuries, and demand the money you deserve in compensation. Contact us today for a free consultation, and tell us your story.
All About Adventure Parks
What is an adventure park, and how does it differ from an amusement park? Both are places where you can bring the family to have some fun and excitement, but they differ quite a bit in what that excitement entails. Amusement parks are places where you stand in line and then ride on a roller coaster or some other type of amusement ride. Adventure parks are places where you climb rope ladders from one tree to another or ride a zip line down from a height. They tend to be less crowded than amusement parks, have shorter lines, and more actively involved participants.
Typical activities at an adventure park include:
- Climbing
- Ziplining
- Rope Courses
- Trampolines
- Jungle gym
- Jumping
- Water Activities
Adventure parks use safety lines and belay systems to protect their guests and prevent injury, but when these systems break down or are not implemented properly, accidents can happen.
Adventure Park Accidents
Adventure parks can be safe places when operators install the rope systems effectively and staff follow safety protocols to the letter. However, when these parties fail in their responsibilities, they put their patrons at risk of serious injury. A rope bridge or zipline can be as dangerous as a malfunctioning roller coaster if safety protocols are neglected or disregarded. If you are injured in an adventure park accident in Northbrook, there are steps you should take to protect your rights.
What to Do After an Adventure Park Accident
After an adventure park accident in Northbrook, the first thing you should do is seek medical care—even if you don’t believe you were severely hurt. Some injuries take time to present symptoms, all the while becoming more serious. Seemingly minor head injuries can prove fatal if they are not diagnosed and treated promptly. Be safe and get yourself checked out if you have not done so already.
Make sure to get copies of your doctor’s medical reports and test results. These will be valuable evidence for the extent of your injuries and to show that they were caused by the accident rather than pre-existing conditions.
If you can, take photos after the accident to show:
- Your injuries
- Any equipment that malfunctioned or was not secured
- Any other facts that may be relevant to your claim
Collect statements and contact information from anyone who witnessed the accident, as they might be able to corroborate your claims. For instance, perhaps someone noticed that your harness was frayed or had not been inspected by park staff before you were allowed onto the course. Their testimony could prove valuable to proving the park’s fault for your injuries.
Negligence and Personal Injury in Illinois
Illinois law gives you the right to recover compensation if you were injured due to the actions or negligence of another party. For instance, if an adventure park employee failed to secure your safety harness or the management failed to repair or replace a piece of equipment they knew was faulty, the park operator could owe you money for your:
- Medical bills
- Lost income
- Pain and suffering
- Diminished quality of life
- Damaged property
The critical point is whether you or your attorney can prove that the park’s operator or one of its employees was negligent: that they owed you a duty of care and failed to live up to it. You must prove that the adventure park failed to exercise reasonable care to protect you from a known or obvious hazard.
The park or its insurer might attempt a defense of assumed risk, arguing that you voluntarily participated in an activity that has known, inherent risks. In the context of adventure parks, visitors might be considered to have assumed the risk for common injuries related to the activities offered, such as ziplining or rock climbing. However, this defense does not absolve the park operators from the duty of care they owe to their guests. They must still maintain equipment, provide proper instructions, and adhere to safety regulations. If your injury resulted from the park’s negligence—such as faulty equipment or inadequate safety measures—you should still have a valid claim despite the assumed risks.
Illinois courts follow the principle of modified comparative negligence in personal injury cases. This means you can only collect damages if you were not more than 50 percent responsible for the accident. If staff secured your safety harness properly but you later unbuckled it, you may be prevented from collecting any damages caused by your own reckless action.
On the other hand, suppose that staff knew that a section of a rope ladder was frayed but didn’t replace or repair that section of the ladder. In that case, you may be able to collect damages even if you did something on the ladder that contributed to the accident. Your damages would be reduced based on the degree to which you were at fault.
When Should You File a Lawsuit?
The Illinois Statute of Limitations gives you two years to file a lawsuit in a personal injury case. If you attempt to file after this deadline has passed, the defendant can move to have your suit dismissed as untimely, which the court would likely grant, preventing you from recovering compensation no matter how strong your case is. Don’t put your well-being at risk by late filing. Get in touch with an adventure park injury lawyer right away.
How Our Northbrook Adventure Park Injury Lawyers Can Help
If you were injured in an adventure park accident, you may be facing large medical bills, lost time at work, painful injuries, and other harm. Don’t try to face all these troubles alone. The people responsible for your accident should cover your expenses and pay you damages for pain and suffering.A skilled adventure park injury lawyer can demand this money for you so that you can focus on healing. Contact adventure park accident lawyers Stein & Shulman, LLC today to discuss your case for free, and let’s seek justice together.
The law office of Stein & Shulman routinely represents victims in Northbrook, Buffalo Grove, Glenview, Schaumburg, Arlington Heights, Skokie, Wheeling, Palatine, Crystal Lake, Mundelein, and Lake and McHenry counties.
