Spinal Cord Injury Caused by a Recreational Accident

Millions of Americans flock each day to amusement parks, sports games, and even the park around the corner. These events are intended to run seamlessly, with a balance between attentive employees and well-maintained machinery. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Thousands of major incidents occur during these events each year.

A major incident, in this case, is defined as an event that results in injury or death of a recreation guest. This includes injuries that are the result of negligence, either from park staff event employees, or property maintenance.

Injury Causes

These visitors and tourists have very little reason expect injury, much less paralysis from a spinal cord injury. Fans who sit in the bleachers hardly expect to be injured by a ball or defective bleachers. Similarly, somebody at an amusement park or recreation center does not plan on being at a hospital at the end of the day with an injury from a malfunctioning ride.

Recreational accidents can occur due to:

• Broken playground equipment
• Diving board malfunction
• Poorly maintained amusement park rides
• Recreation center accident
• Sitting in the stands and getting hit by a piece of sporting equipment
• Ski lift accidents
• Slow response time from theme park employees
• Water park slides

Regardless of circumstance in which these accidents have occurred, they can have a devastating impact for those involved. Unlike sports athletes, these people are not placing themselves in an actively dangerous situation. Whether it is the fault of the property owner or a big business, these accident victims have a long road to recovery ahead of them.

A spinal cord injury is financially expensive and can alter their way of life. Recreational injuries commonly involve some form of collision or fall. Even a minor accident can have major repercussions for the person involved. Your spinal cord is extremely delicate and controls several very important bodily functions. A recreational injury can have devastating effects on it.

According to the National Spinal Cord Injury Database, the first year of medical costs for spinal cord injury victims ranges from $244,000 for loss of motor function to $825,000 for severe tetraplegia. This is a practically astronomical amount for any person to shoulder. It is also a sad reality for people who experience a spinal cord injury on a day that was intended to be fun.

Understanding Your Options

Now, you may be offered a settlement by the property owner or their lawyer. It is in your best interests to remain silent and commit to nothing. A spinal cord injury can lead to thousands of dollars in medical costs, not to mention wages lost.

Careful documentation of your injury and the accident scene can be a great help to your lawyer. This will strengthen you case in court and give the other side less room to maneuver. Have your doctor take photographs of your injury area. If you are unable to move due to a paralyzing injury, ask a friend or loved one to take images of the accident site.

Seek Immediate Legal Representation

Your next step should be to contact a lawyer, who can represent your interests and negotiate the case to your advantage. The lawyers at the Ammons Law Firm have years of experience helping victims of recreational accidents.  With expert witnesses, private investigators, and physicians at their disposal, you can rest assured that every angle will be explored.

You do not deserve to go through this alone. Call (866) 523-1606 to speak with one of the experienced lawyers at the Ammons Law Firm. During your no-obligation initial consultation, you can learn your legal options and make a decision about your future.