$14.5M
Recovery for a victim who suffered a traumatic brain injury due to unsafe property conditions.
Personal Injury
California Amusement Park Accident Lawyers
Injured on a ride or walkway at a California amusement park? At Wilshire Law Firm — an award-winning, nationally recognized team — our attorneys help you pursue compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Contact us 24/7 for a free case review with a legal professional — there are no fees unless you get paid.
- $3B+RECOVERED
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Understanding Your Premises Liability Case
Explore essential resources on your rights, your options, and what to expect — everything you need to navigate the legal process, all in one place.
Wilshire Law Firm is an award-winning, nationally recognized team that has represented thousands of injured Californians. Our attorneys investigate the ride, walkway, or attraction where you were hurt, preserve maintenance and inspection records, handle every conversation with the park's insurers, and build your case for maximum recovery. There are no fees unless you get paid.
Most amusement park injuries trace back to preventable negligence rather than simple bad luck. The leading causes we see include mechanical failures and ride malfunctions, inadequate maintenance, ride-operator error, poor or ignored safety procedures, and slippery walkways or other hazardous conditions on the grounds. Identifying who was negligent — the park, an operator, or a ride manufacturer — is central to your claim, and our attorneys handle that investigation for you.
Amusement park accidents can cause serious, life-altering injuries. Common examples include broken bones, head trauma and traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, neck and back injuries, and lacerations. Roller coasters and high-speed rides can also cause whiplash and internal injuries, while slip-and-fall hazards on walkways lead to fractures and catastrophic injuries. Children are especially vulnerable, and a child injury lawyer can help when a young rider is hurt.
Liability depends on what caused your injury and who was responsible for preventing it. Potentially responsible parties include the park owner or operator, individual ride operators and employees, maintenance and inspection contractors, and the manufacturer of a defective ride or component. When a faulty ride part is to blame, a product liability claim may apply; when a dangerous walkway or facility condition causes a fall, a premises liability claim may apply. A legal professional can identify every liable party during a free case review.
Injured park guests in California can generally recover both economic and non-economic damages. These commonly include medical expenses and rehabilitation (current and future), lost wages and lost future earning capacity, pain and suffering, and property damage. In cases involving a fatal ride accident, surviving family members may pursue a wrongful death claim. Because every case is unique, a legal professional can review your losses during a free case review.
In most California amusement park injury cases you have two years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit (California Code of Civil Procedure §335.1). If the injury occurred at a publicly owned park or county fair, a government claim may need to be filed within six months under the California Government Claims Act. Because missing a deadline can end your case, it's best to speak with a legal professional early.
Meet Our Premises Liability Attorneys
Nationally-Recognized Powerhouse, Fighting for the Justice You Deserve
Our award-winning attorneys have recovered billions for clients while taking on insurance companies and major corporations.
Colin M. Jones, Esq.Senior Partner and Senior Trial Attorney, Chair of the Personal Injury Litigation Department
Jennifer P. Burkes, Esq.Senior Partner & Strategic Advisor, Personal Injury Litigation Department
Mary Lee Caruso, Esq.Senior Partner
Ryan Casey, Esq.Senior Partner and Trial Attorney
Tae-Yoon Kim, Esq.Senior Partner
Alivia E. Abreu, Esq.Partner
Shervin G. Ghanoongooi, Esq.Partner
Christopher Goodroe, Esq.Partner
Nathan A. GuestPartner and Trial Attorney
Brian M. Jacobson, Esq.Partner
Ariella Perry, Esq.Partner$12.0M
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Past results do not guarantee similar outcomes. Each case is unique and evaluated on its own facts.
How Do I Know If I Have an Amusement Park Accident Claim in California?
Three factors determine whether you have a valid amusement park accident claim — fault, damages, and proof. Fault means the park, an operator, or a ride manufacturer's negligence caused your injury. Damages are your losses, such as medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Proof includes ride-inspection and maintenance records, incident reports, photos, and witness statements. Because California amusement parks are regulated as common carriers and held to a high duty of care, contact Wilshire Law Firm for a free case evaluation.
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Record breaking results
Winners of #1 Settlements in California
Our attorneys have recovered billions of dollars, including some of the biggest settlements in California.
17#1 Settlements in California, 2022–2024*
TopVerdict #1TopVerdict.com #1 settlements
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#1 Whistleblower Retaliation Settlement
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#1 Wrongful Termination Settlement
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*#1 settlements in California have been awarded by TopVerdict.com. Past results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
Premises Liability FAQs
Our Most Frequently Asked Questions
We've answered the most common ones below. If yours isn't here, call us — we're available 24/7.
California treats many fixed-site amusement park rides as common carriers, which means the operator owes riders a heightened duty to keep the ride reasonably safe. If a mechanical failure, operator error, or unsafe condition causes your injury, the park can be held responsible. Because the common-carrier standard for rides is not summarized in our reference materials, an attorney should confirm how it applies to your facts. Unsafe wiring or electrical faults at a park can cause severe injuries; our California electrocution accident lawyer team handles these cases as well.
A signed waiver or printed disclaimer does not automatically end your claim. California courts often limit waivers, and they generally cannot excuse gross negligence or a failure to meet a required safety duty. Have a lawyer review the exact wording before assuming you are barred. These limits apply to equipment accidents too; if a forklift or other machinery injured you, see our California forklift accident attorney page.
When a ride, harness, or component was defectively designed or manufactured, you may have a strict product liability claim against the manufacturer or distributor in addition to any claim against the park. California strict product liability lets you recover by showing the product was defective and caused your injury, without proving the maker was careless. More than one party can share responsibility. Similar equipment-failure claims arise outside parks too — our crane accident lawyer team handles those cases as well. If ongoing construction or renovation at the park contributed to your injury, our California construction accident attorneys can assess contractor liability.
If a city, county, or other public entity owns or runs the ride or fair, a special rule usually applies: you generally must file a formal government claim within six months before you can sue. Missing that shorter deadline can bar your case, so act quickly. Deadlines have exceptions, so confirm yours promptly. The same government claim rules apply when unsafe public roads injure cyclists; see our Oakland bicycle accident lawyer page.
For most personal injury lawsuits in California you generally have two years from the date of injury. If a government entity is involved, the six-month claim rule can apply instead. Deadlines have exceptions, so confirm yours promptly.