A teenager was seriously injured in another amusement park accident last week at the Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey. The young Lake Hopatcong girl was struck in the face by a flying object as she rode the El Toro ride on Friday. The girl claims she did not see what hit her because it happened so fast, but it felt like someone hit her with a bat about 30 seconds into the ride. The girl sustained serious facial injuries including missing teeth, two broken molars, and major bruising and swelling. The teenager claims she will need to undergo extensive oral surgery.
A spokesperson for the Six Flags Great Adventure claims they gave the girl immediate medical attention after she notified them of her accident. However, that is not the same story the girl tells. The injured girl claims she was handed a paper towel for the blood, and that was it. The teenager says the amusement park staff did not know what to do. The girl’s boyfriend was with her and helped her get to medical treatment.
The girl believes she was hit by another passenger’s loose belonging. The girl and her boyfriend say that there are no warning signs before you get on the ride about loose cell phones and wallets. Six Flags was sued by another rider in 2014 who suffering an eye injury from a flying cellphone on the same ride. The El Toro ride was closed on Friday but cleared to reopen that very night. However, park officials say they will choose to keep it closed for another inspection during daylight and then reopened Saturday morning.
The number of injured victims from amusement park accidents is climbing. If you have been hurt at an amusement park this summer, please contact Meyerkord & Kurth, LLC, and speak to St. Louis’ best personal injury attorneys.