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Proving Liability for Injuries Sustained During Recreational Activities

Jacksonville Personal Injury Lawyer

If you are injured while engaging in a recreational activity at a gym, school, theme park, resort or other facility, proving liability may be difficult. While it’s true that such facilities are generally obligated to provide safe equipment and that they should take steps to keep people safe, liability for injuries isn’t always cut and dry. Even if you’re seriously injured, you may hit a brick wall when attempting to sue. That’s largely because such facilities typically take steps to minimize the risk of litigation. Gyms, for instance, typically require members to sign contracts stating that they use equipment at their own risk, which largely eliminates the ability to sue for liability.

Theme Parks Aggressively Defend Against Lawsuits

Most theme parks host millions of visitors per year. If people get the idea that suing theme parks for liability is easy, the parks would constantly be fighting lawsuits in court. As a result, theme parks aggressively defend against such litigation and take numerous steps to discourage such cases from materializing in the first place. While you may have a case if your injury stems from defective equipment, proving liability for a slip-and-fall incident probably won’t work. Theme parks typically settle lawsuits out of court and keep awards under wraps to discourage others from pursuing these types of cases.

Resorts are Required to Post Warnings

Because resorts often offer a wide array of recreational activities, they are under more of an obligation to warn guests about potential hazards. Signs to warn against dangers like rock slides, avalanches and lightning strikes should be prominently posted. Also, equipment such as horseback riding helmets, skis and canoes should be kept in good working order. If you’re injured at a resort due to improperly maintained equipment or because the resort failed to warn you about certain dangers, a Jacksonville personal injury lawyer may be able to help you seek compensation.

Schools have Limited Liability

Although schools are required to provide knowledgeable instruction and proper supervision for sports and other activities, they don’t usually face significant liability when students and other are injured. If someone is injured on school property because of defective equipment, the equipment manufacturer is usually the one that should be sued. The school itself is unlikely to be taken to court regarding the matter. Of course, it never hurts to check with an experienced Jacksonville personal injury attorney to see if a case holds merit. Each situation is different, and if the other party was negligent, the injured person may be owed compensation.

Hire a Competent Jacksonville Personal Injury Lawyer

If you were injured while engaging in recreational activities, it pays to line up qualified legal representation. Call disability lawyer John Fagan at 904-278-1000 now.

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