Chicago Water Park Injury Lawyer

Should You Hire a Water Park Accident Attorney?

If you’ve been hurt in a water park incident, hiring a water park injury lawyer is one of the most important steps you can take. These cases often involve serious safety violations, unclear liability, and pushback from insurance companies. 

A skilled attorney can investigate the cause of the accident, gather evidence, and fight for compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Without legal guidance, you may settle for far less than your case is worth. At Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, we represent accident victims across Illinois and are ready to protect your rights.

Verdicts and Settlements from Our Water Park Injury Lawyers in Chicago

At Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, we have a strong record of securing meaningful compensation for victims of drowning incidents and their families. Our experience handling aquatic injury cases has led to significant recoveries, including:

• $7.1 Million Settlement – Secured for the family of a young child who tragically drowned during a church-organized visit to a water park. The case revealed lapses in supervision and inadequate safety protocols at the facility.
• $2.5 Million Settlement – Obtained for the family of an 8-year-old who drowned while visiting a friend’s home. The full recovery reflected the limits of the homeowner’s insurance policy and was reached without protracted litigation.
• $2.2 Million Settlement – Achieved on behalf of the family of a 33-year-old woman who lost her life in a pool at a residential apartment complex. The claim focused on the property owner’s failure to maintain safe conditions and proper oversight.

Common Types of Injuries at Water Parks

Some of the most common types of park injuries include the following:

• Drowning
• Slip and falls
• Broken bones
• Back and neck injury
• Spinal cord injury
• Food poisoning
• Concussion
• Traumatic brain injury
• Laceration or deep cuts

Common Causes of Water Park Accidents 

Water parks may contain more safety hazards than you realize. Here are some of the most common ones: 

• Faulty Rides: Defective parts or ride malfunctions can lead to an accident. Broken parts or defective seat belts could also cause injury. Ignoring ride safety regulations, like age limits and weight restrictions, could also cause injury.
• Slippery surfaces: Water parks tend to have many slippery surfaces. The surfaces around wave pools or water slides can lead to slip-and-fall accidents. 46.6% of water park injuries were due to slick surfaces. 
• Contaminated water: Despite modern disinfection systems, illness outbreaks in public swimming places are common. Failure to properly clean and sanitize a water slide or pool could cause injury.
• Lack of safety inspections: Safety inspection requirements are regulated at the state level, sometimes leading to unclear protocols. 
• Chemical reactions: Improper filtering and cleaning protocols could lead to toxic chlorine inhalation.

Some common injuries from water parks are not even due to water slide rides or other equipment. Food poisoning from a lack of food safety standards could lead to foodborne illness injuries for guests.

Liability for Water Park Injuries 

Establishing liability is necessary for claims following water park injuries. Any of the following parties could be to blame when accidents occur at water parks:

• Inspection crews: Some states have enacted laws requiring ride operators to follow specific guidelines to ensure ride safety. Failing to adhere to these inspection requirements could make inspection crews liable.
• Park owners: The water park owner may also be liable if they don’t consider safety when hiring or training employees.
• Parts manufacturers: Faulty or defective parks could lead to a water park accident, which could make the product manufacturer liable.

Proving Negligence

Proving negligence is a crucial part of filing a personal injury claim. In a lawsuit, our legal team will aim to establish the following elements:

• Duty of care:  We must establish that the responsible party has a legal duty of care for your well-being. Water parks, in general, are expected to maintain and inspect their equipment so it’s safe for guests.
• Breach of duty of care: Your water park accident lawyers will also gather evidence to show the liable party breached that duty of care. Negligence is the most common and may include an untrained ride operator or poor ride control.
• Causation: A water park accident lawyer will also prove causation, specifically that the negligence caused the serious injury.
• Damages: Water and amusement park accidents also require damages that can be compensated through a personal injury lawsuit. Our law firm will collect evidence, including medical records and expert witness statements documenting your expenses.

You Have Limited Time to Take Legal Action 

The statute of limitations for accidents at amusement and water parks varies by state but typically falls between one to three years from the date of the injury. This time frame determines how long victims have to file a personal injury claim against the park or responsible party. 

Failing to file within the statute of limitations can result in losing the right to seek compensation for injuries, making timely action crucial. Always consult a local attorney to understand the specific statute in your area.

How Our Chicago Water Park Accident Lawyers Can Help 

A water park accident lawyer can be valuable to your case. A personal injury attorney from our law firm can help in the following ways.

Your attorney can gather critical evidence, such as surveillance footage, witness statements, maintenance logs, and incident reports, to determine how the accident occurred and who is legally responsible. 

They also work with medical experts to document serious injuries, estimate future medical expenses, and calculate lost wages. By establishing both fault and damages, your lawyer can present a compelling claim to insurance companies or in court.

This support helps accident victims focus on recovery while pursuing the full compensation they’re entitled to.

What You Should Do After a Water Park Injury

Immediately following a water park injury, the steps you take are essential for your overall well-being and for protecting your legal rights. If you or a loved one is ever injured at a water park, here are a few important steps to take:

• Gather time-sensitive evidence: Some evidence, like photos or videos from the accident scene, may not be available later.
• Receive medical care: Prompt medical treatment should be a priority following an injury. Some injuries, like neck injuries or spinal injuries, require immediate medical care. Keep copies of your medical bills.
• Report the accident: Report the accident to the water park’s staff or owners. Doing so can help keep other guests safe.
• Contact a waterpark accident lawyer: Be sure to contact a lawyer as soon as possible after a water park injury. Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers offers a free consultation to discuss your case.

Compensation Available to Victims 

Economic and non-economic damages may be available in a water park accident case. Your lawyer may include the following damage types in your claim.

• Economic damages – These cover financial losses like medical bills, lost wages, damaged personal property, and any reduction in your ability to earn income in the future.
• Non-economic damages – These compensate for pain, emotional distress, and reduced quality of life. Injuries may prevent you from enjoying hobbies or spending time with loved ones.

In cases of gross negligence, such as knowingly keeping a defective water slide open, courts may award punitive damages to punish wrongdoing.

Contact Our Water Park Accident Law Firm Near You Today!

Water parks should be safe and entertaining. However, that’s not always the case. Safety standards aren’t always followed, and when they’re not, you can be left with severe injuries and even death.

Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers help those injured by the negligence of local water parks. Whether you or a loved one was injured due to a defective water slide or contaminated pool water, our lawyers are here to help. We offer legal representation on a contingency fee basis, which means you never pay anything unless we win your case.

Call our Chicago personal injury attorneys today at or fill out our convenient online form.

All content undergoes thorough legal review by experienced attorneys, including Jonathan Rosenfeld. With 25 years of experience in personal injury law and over 100 years of combined legal expertise within our team, we ensure that every article is legally accurate, compliant, and reflects current legal standards.