The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services reports that it has launched an investigation of the recent incident in which a roller coaster derailed in Daytona Beach. Such events often give rise to personal injury claims against the owners of amusement parks. In this case, authorities reported that 10 people received medical treatment at a hospital.
A statement by the fire department indicated that a call to report the derailment came in shortly after 8:30 p.m. on a recent Thursday. Upon arrival, they found two injured riders lying on the ground. Reportedly, they fell approximately 34 feet when the car they were in derailed completely. Other cars were dangling from the track, and firefighters had to use ladders and a pulley system to rescue the occupants who were trapped in them. Firefighters said the riders wore their set belts.
A spokesperson for the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services says the roller coaster was inspected on the previous day. The result of this inspection indicated that the ride was safe. Further investigation might determine the cause of the derailment.
Victims of amusement park accidents may need the assistance of an experienced personal injury attorney if they consider filing a premises liability claim. Determining whom to hold responsible might be a challenge on its own. In this case, for example, the fact that the ride was declared safe one day before the derailment might remove some of the blame from the business owner. A Florida lawyer can launch an independent investigation to establish negligence before determining who to name as defendants when pursuing financial recovery of damages.