A worker at an amusement park in Pennsylvania was injured after being hit by a roller coaster on March 26. The worker was injured while a new roller coaster at Knoebels Amusement Resort was being tested. The man suffered from a broken hand and a laceration on his head when he was struck by a passing car on the ride.
The roller coaster involved in the incident is known as the Impulse. At 99 feet high, the Impulse is the largest roller coaster to ever have been put into use at the park. When the man sustained the workplace injury, he was sitting beside the coaster at its lowest point. The part of the ride the man was standing at is not publicly accessible.
According to members of the worker’s family, he was given a CT scan after the incident that determined he had no signs of serious injuries. The laceration on his head required staples. As a result of the accident, park officials are conducting an investigation into what happened before any further testing of the roller coaster will be allowed to resume. There were no reports about what factors might have caused the man to be hit by the roller coaster.
An employee who has been injured in this type of an accident may wish to file a workers’ compensation claim to seek income replacement benefits as well as the necessary medical care and treatment. If it can be determined that a non-employer third party bears the responsibility for the accident, such as the manufacturer of a defective product, it may be possible to pursue a separate personal injury lawsuit as well.
Source: NBC10.com, “Worker Struck, Injured While Testing Knoebels Roller Coaster,” March 26, 2015