California’s sunny weather and beautiful beaches have earned it the nickname of the Golden State. Not only do thousands of people come here to live, work, and raise a family, but hundreds of thousands of tourists flock to its many attractions every year. Los Angeles is one of the most popular destinations in Southern California, with Universal Studios Hollywood, Disneyland, and Hollywood Boulevard being huge draws.
Unfortunately, an influx of tourists means more vehicles on the road and overcrowding at some locations, resulting in dangerous situations. Even hotels can be risky places when management fails to keep the premises safe for visitors. Although you hope that you won’t be injured while on vacation in Los Angeles, the risk is always there. In this blog, the Los Angeles personal injury lawyers outline common vacation-related accidents and discuss what you should do if you are injured while here on vacation.
Amusement Park Accidents
Many Southern California theme parks attract vacationers from around the country and even from abroad. They include but are not limited to Disneyland, Legoland, Magic Mountain, and Universal Studios.
Owners and managers of amusement parks must provide a safe environment for park patrons. This obligation includes maintaining the grounds, repairing or removing hazards, and ensuring that rides and equipment are safe for public use. It is also their responsibility to ensure that employees and ride operators are properly trained. When this doesn’t happen, visitors can be injured in amusement park accidents like ride malfunctions, slips and falls, drownings, and other tragedies.
Water Park Accidents
Tourists and locals alike visit water parks during the summer months to escape the heat. While most visits are fun for the whole family, water park accidents remain a worrying possibility, especially if management isn’t equipped to deal with the crowds and keep park equipment safe for use. Common accidents include:
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- Water Slide Accidents: This includes getting stuck, falling off the sides, or colliding with heavy steel components.
- Pool Accidents: Guests (often children) can drown or suffer injuries related to near drowning. Some pools also contain hazards, such as cracked tiles or exposed wires, that can cause serious injuries.
- Ride Accidents: The restraints on some water park rides are not sufficient to hold guests in place. They can fall off and become trapped under the ride, causing drowning or near-drowning.
- Wet Floors: Wet floors in the ride areas can become slippery, causing guests to slip, fall, and suffer serious injuries.
Over 330 people have drowned in California pools since 2018. The only state with more pool drownings than California was Florida, which reported 415 fatalities between 2018 and 2020.
Hotel Accidents
Injuries can occur when you’re still at the hotel, especially if management doesn’t pay attention to hazards in the rooms, common areas, and outside places like parking lots and lounging areas. Examples of common hotel accidents include:
- Slipping and falling due to bunched carpeting, uneven flooring, and unattended obstacles
- Accidents related to broken or damaged beds, chairs, and other furniture
- Food poisoning due to poorly prepared hotel meals
- Assaults due to negligent security
- Car accidents in a poorly lit parking lot
As with residential and other commercial property owners, hotel owners have a duty to keep their properties safe for guests by detecting unsafe conditions, replacing or repairing them as needed, and giving an adequate warning when conditions may result in injury or harm.
What To Do If You’re Injured on Vacation in LA
Injuries sustained while on vacation are much more complicated than injuries sustained at home. If you suffer any vacation injuries while visiting Los Angeles, take the steps below.
Seek Medical Care Immediately
First and foremost, you need to get medical attention after an accident. If you or a loved one sustained severe injuries while visiting Los Angeles, you should call 911 and go to the hospital for evaluation and treatment. See a doctor even if you don’t think your injuries were serious, as not all of them have visible symptoms immediately. Don’t wait until you go home to get medical care, or an insurer may reduce or deny your claim for failure to get treatment right away.
Report the Accident
Report vacation injuries to the appropriate parties. For example, if your chair collapsed in your hotel room, causing you to break your arm, you should notify hotel management at once. Those injured in motor vehicle collisions in Hollywood should contact local or state police. An experienced vacation accident lawyer can assist you if you are unsure where or how to report your accident.
Notify Your Insurance Provider
It is important to contact any insurance company that covers you during your vacation. This might be your auto insurance, rental car insurance, or travel insurance policy. Do not give a statement at this time, and do not admit any fault for the accident. Instead, notify the company that you were injured on vacation in LA.
Speak to a Los Angeles Vacation Accident Lawyer
Consult a local vacation accident attorney for guidance if you need to seek compensation for your injuries. If you’ve been injured in Los Angeles or Hollywood, working with a local lawyer is in your best interests for several reasons.
- Most personal injury claims fall under state law, so you want an advocate who is licensed to practice in the state or jurisdiction where you were injured and has a thorough familiarity with local law.
- A local personal injury lawyer can investigate your accident in-depth, file your claim in the appropriate courthouse before the California statute of limitations expires, and deal with the insurer responsible for compensating you, which will likely be a local entity.
Injured on Vacation in LA? Get a Free Consultation From a Los Angeles Injury Lawyer.
If you’ve been injured while visiting Los Angeles, you can rely on the vacation accident lawyers at Moaddel Kremer & Gerome LLP to provide you with the information you need to navigate this difficult situation. We will investigate your accident, collect the evidence, and pursue a settlement on your behalf even after you return home. We take personal injury cases on contingency, so you only pay us if we win your case. To learn more, contact us for a free case review today.