Two people sustained personal injury after a rollercoaster at an Orange County amusement park malfunctioned on September 16, 2009. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, a cable snapped during a run of Knott's Berry Farm's Xcelerator ride injuring a 12-year-old boy who suffered cuts and another man who apparently sustained back injuries. Both were taken to area hospitals for treatment. Nine people were reportedly on the ride when the accident occurred.

Amusement Park Injuries

The ride's cars had just left the boarding station when a cable broke free and the train rolled back toward the station. A brief video that was posted on the Web site, amusementsafety.org shows the frightening episode. As soon as the cars left the station, the video shows some debris flying up into the faces of shocked riders. Knott's officials said the park had replaced the ride's cable in December. Cal-OSHA is investigating the incident and the ride has been closed down.

My heart goes out to the two injured victims of this Orange County amusement park accident. I'm glad that they did not suffer major injuries. It is extremely fortunate that this mishap occurred right at the beginning of the ride and not when the cars were traveling at their usual high speeds. I wish the two injured victims the very best for a quick and complete recovery.

The Xcelerator ride, which has a drop of 205 feet and reaches speeds of up to 82 mph, was opened about seven years ago. It's inspected daily before the park opens, just as all other rides are inspected, Knott's officials said. They also say the proper cables were being used. The cables, they say, are "good for a year."

Liability Issues in Ride Accidents

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in the year 2004 alone, there were 2,500 amusement ride-related injuries reported in the United States.

If I were a family member of the victims here, I'd want to know more about the circumstances of the amusement park accident. Was the cable defective? Was there any negligence or error on the part of park ride inspectors or the ride operators? The injured victims in this ride accident may not only have a personal injury claim against Knott's Berry Farm, but also against the manufacturer of a defective product, if it is found to have led to this accident. An experienced Orange County personal injury lawyer skilled at handling amusement park accidents will be able to better explain to these victims and families about their legal rights and options and help them secure fair compensation for the injuries and losses they have suffered.

The BISNAR|CHASE personal injury law firm is not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our source for the facts is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident or a similar incident and have questions as to your rights and options, please contact us or another reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a consultation. Most of the best law firms will provide accident victims a free consultation.

We cannot fully inform any party or family member about their rights, options or the economic viability of any claim for compensation without a full investigation and consultation. We will not be conducting an investigation into this matter unless we are retained by a party. We will provide a free, confidential consultation to any, not at fault, person named in this article. The free consultation offer extends to family members as well.

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