Child injuries in Hollywood and other communities are always devastating, but they can be especially tragic when they involve amusement park rides. Children and families head to rides at amusements parks, malls, and fairs to create memories and to give children a day of fun. These types of outings should never end in tears and emergency room visits, but according to a new study this is exactly how a surprisingly number of these trips end.
According to a recent study by the Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s Center for Injury Research and Policy, about 4,423 children, on average, sustain serious injuries and are taken to emergency rooms across the country each year due to rides at amusement parks, malls, and fairs. These injuries peak during the summer months, when over 20 children daily visit ERs due to ride injuries.
The study looked at more than 93,000 ride-related injuries that occurred across the country between 1990 and 2000. These injuries affected children under the age of 17. According to the researchers, while 93,000 injuries may seem like a very high number, the actual number of injuries may be even higher as the figure only represents injuries serious enough to warrant a trip to the hospital.
Researchers found that the most common ride-related injuries for children included soft tissue injuries such as whiplash. These injuries accounted for 29% of ER trips. Strains and sprains were also very common, accounting for 21% of injury-related hospital visits. About 20% of hospital visits involved lacerations or cuts while 10% involved fractures. In addition to these injuries, brain injuries and spinal cord injuries in Hollywood and other communities – as well as a host of other injuries – were reported.
In fact, the head seems especially vulnerable when it comes to child ride-related injuries. The study revealed that in about 29% of ride-related injury cases involving a trip to the ER, the neck or the head were affected. About 24% of hospital visits involved arm injuries while facial injuries accounted for 18% and leg injuries accounted for 17% of emergency room visits.
Researchers found that more than two thirds of hospital visits due to ride injuries occurred between May and September. The study also found that children involved in injuries sustained on mall rides were more likely to suffer head injuries and injuries sustained through falls when compared with children injured at amusement parks. Less than one-third of all ride injuries involving children involved falls. However, three out of four injuries sustained at mall rides involved a fall.
Obviously, more personal injuries in Hollywood and other cities are linked to rides than many people realize. Parents may want to consider the safety record of an amusement park, fair, or ride before taking their children to a park.
If your child has sustained a serious injury due to a faulty ride or amusement park attraction, discuss your situation with a personal injury attorney by contacting Flaxman Law Group today. Your consultation is free and comes with no obligation. You may be entitled to compensation under Florida law that could help you pay for your child’s medical care.