If you are from New Jersey, chances are that you’ve spent summer days on the Jersey Shore. Many visitors to the Jersey Shore visit Gillian’s Wonderland Pier in Ocean City to enjoy carnival rides and entertainment. While amusement park rides are often a reminder of our childhood and warm summer days, operator error or mechanical malfunction can turn a day of fun into a traumatic experience.

Each year, thousands of children and adults across the United States are injured on amusement park rides. Amusement park patrons involved in carnival ride accidents can suffer bruises, head, neck, or back pain, broken bones, lost limbs, and even death.

In July 2013, a woman visiting Six Flags Over Texas died while riding the popular rollercoaster Texas Giant. Reports indicate that the victim had alerted ride operators that she did not believe her safety restraint had been properly locked before the ride began. Unfortunately, her fears were correct, and the victim fell 75 feet to her death.

In August, a four-year-old girl visiting Gillian’s Wonderland Pier in Ocean City was injured when she was flung from a racecar ride, and then dragged beneath the ride. The ride operator was subsequently fired after authorities found that the accident resulted from operator error and not from a mechanical issue with the ride.

If you are injured on an amusement park ride, it is important to report the incident to the park management as soon as possible. Often, riders will exit a ride not feeling right, but will hesitate to seek treatment or make an incident report. It is important to preserve evidence by filing an incident report with the park as soon as possible and seeking treatment if you believe you may have suffered an injury.

Whether amusement park ride injuries are caused by operator error or mechanical malfunction, amusement parks are responsible for ensuring the safety of their visitors. If you were injured on an amusement park ride, an experienced New Jersey personal injury attorney will make sure your right to recover for damages is protected.