Attorneys for Amusement Park Accident Victims in Virginia

 

Did You Suffer an Injury at Busch Gardens Williamsburg, Kings Dominion, Water Country USA, or Another Park, Festival, Fair, or Carnival in Virginia? Get High-Quality Legal Representation for Your Amusement Park Injury.

 

Amusement parks, waterparks, state and county fairs, and carnivals are places of excitement, fun, and relaxation for people of all ages.

 

The largest amusement parks in Virginia – Busch Gardens Williamsburg, Kings Dominion, and Water Country USA – boast annual visitor numbers in the millions, serving as a core social hub in the Virginia landscape, where locals and outsiders alike spend time with their families and loved ones. These amusement parks, pools, and water rides are especially popular during the summer and fall months when families seek fun things to do with their kids on vacation.

 

However, these theme parks and attractions are also spaces where injuries, sometimes serious and catastrophic, take place. Fast rides, crowded pools, and physically demanding games—often in hot weather—can turn a fun day into a terrible one.

 

If you have suffered an injury at an amusement park in Virginia and believe the negligence of the park operator, ride manufacturer, or attraction designer/engineer caused the harm, call us today at (757) 810-5614 or (804) 251-1620.

 

You will also find helpful information on what to do if something goes wrong and you or a family member gets hurt at an amusement park, carnival, water park, or fair.

 

The personal injury attorneys with Corey Pollard Law ensure the rights of amusement park accident victims like you are protected. We want to guide you through the claims process and your recovery, helping you recover the compensation you deserve.

 

Understanding the Different Venues – And Why It Matters to Your Amusement Park Accident Claim

 

Knowing whether your injury occurred at an amusement park, theme park, fair, festival, or carnival determines what laws, rules, and regulations you can use to prove the defendant’s negligence caused your injuries.

 

So, we will start with the basics of determining where your injury occurred.

 

An amusement park is a stationary park (meant to be permanent or operate for an extended period) with various rides, games, events, and entertainment options, such as live shows. The fixed nature of amusement parks is significant when it comes to personal injury litigation.

 

A theme park falls under the category of amusement park. While the attractions at an amusement park may not be cohesive, the rides, games, and attractions at a theme park often share a similar theme.

 

Festivals, fairs, carnivals, music concerts, and races are considered public gathering places under Virginia Code Section 32.1-198. These events, which may include attractions and rides, are classified as temporary entertainment events. The ride operator’s failure to set up the attraction properly, maintain it, or operate it correctly may allow you to hold that company responsible for injuries at fairs, festivals, or carnivals.

 

A waterpark features a majority of water rides, including flumes, water slides, lazy rivers, wave pools, and regular pools.

 

Who Regulates Amusement Park Safety?

 

No federal law or agency specifically oversees amusement park rides.

 

Instead, each state has the power to regulate its parks.

 

In Virginia, the Board of Housing and Community Development adopts the Virginia Amusement Device Regulations (VADR) to regulate the construction, maintenance, operation, and inspection of fixed or mobile amusement rides.

 

You can use evidence that the ride operator failed to comply with one or more regulations to prove your amusement park accident case.

 

Additionally, you can use violations of Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) rules and regulations to prove your claim.

 

Finally, you can use the common law (judge-made law) to prove the ride operator’s negligence caused your injury.  

 

Popular Amusement Parks in Virginia: Fun, But Full of Dangers

 

Our amusement park accident lawyers are familiar with the rides, attractions, and hazards at the largest theme parks in Virginia, like Busch Gardens Williamsburg, Water Country USA, and Kings Dominion.

 

What is Busch Gardens Williamsburg?

 

Busch Gardens Williamsburg is an amusement park located in James City County, near Williamsburg, Virginia. The park features roller coasters and water rides that range from leisurely to thrill-seeking. They also have a space dedicated to the conservation of wild animals, including foxes, hawks, and pythons.

 

Busch Gardens Williamsburg opened in May 1975 under the name ‘Busch Gardens: The Old Country’. Its opening was sponsored by Anheuser-Busch Companies, LLC, a brewing company in St. Louis, Missouri, as part of a development project. Alongside Busch Gardens were residential areas, offices, and, of course, a brewery. The original design was based thematically on different regions of Europe, which has remained one of its key stylistic features. Today, some of the main rides include:

 

    • Griffon is the tallest roller coaster, reaching a height of 205 feet.

 

    • Pantheon, known as the ‘scariest’ roller coaster at the park, is a multi-launch coaster with speeds over 70 miles per hour.

 

    • Loch Ness Monster, Busch Gardens Williamsburg’s “most iconic attraction,” received a restoration in 2024. It was the world’s first interlocking loop roller coaster.

 

    • Alpengeist, which reaches 195 feet and features six inversions.

 

    • Apollo’s Chariot is a ‘hypercoaster’ that creates a ‘free flight’ sensation. 

 

Although these rides embody the type of fun that engages thrill seekers and visitors to Busch Gardens Williamsburg, there are several reported instances where park attendees have suffered injuries. In some cases, visitors have suffered harm after physical assault and battery.

 

Some documented cases of injury and incidents at Busch Gardens Williamsburg are listed below:

 

    • In June 1989, an approaching thunderstorm prompted park officials to close the Loch Ness Monster listed above; however, the ride was already in transit with passengers at the time. A nearby tree fell onto the track, causing it to collide with the moving train car. A sixteen-year-old boy broke his leg while five others were injured.

 

    • In 1999, a goose struck Italian actor and model Fabio when riding Apollo’s Chariot.

 

    • In August 2010, employees of Busch Gardens were deflating a prop when a gust of wind pushed the object in the direction of the Griffon while the ride was in use, causing the train car to come to a halt. Riders were stuck at the second hill of the ride until first responders evacuated them, and five visitors went to Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center for their injuries.

 

    • In July 2018, multiple family members suffered concussions when a ride operator accidentally pressed the emergency stop button on Apollo’s Chariot while the family rode it.

 

    • In June 2021, the Griffon came to a sudden stop while in transit, causing all twenty-eight riders to be suspended in mid-air, forcing them to await evacuation.

 

    • In September 2024, the night of the annual Howl-O-Scream event, an eighteen-year-old was stabbed while on park grounds and taken to the hospital for his injuries.

 

What is Kings Dominion?

 

Kings Dominion is an amusement park that features roller coasters, thrill rides, and a waterpark called Soak City. Kings Dominion is in Doswell, Virginia, thirty miles north of Richmond, the state’s capital.

 

Kings Dominion opened in May 1975 as the sister park of King’s Island in Mason, Ohio, a successful amusement park started by the company Family Leisure Centers. Ownership of Kings Dominion passed through many different corporations since its opening, most notably Paramount. Since 2024, it has been a holding between Cedar Fair and Six Flags Entertainment Corporation. Today, some of the main rides include:

 

    • Rapterra is the world’s longest and tallest launched-wing roller coaster.

 

    • Drop Tower, which drops passengers from a height of 305 feet at a speed of more than 70 miles per hour.

 

    • Xtreme Skyflyer is a hang gliding ride where passengers free-fall the equivalent of several stories.

 

    • Flight of Fear, the first Linear Induction Model roller coaster that propels passengers fifty-four miles per hour in four seconds.

 

    • Windseeker is a giant swing that reaches a height of approximately 300 feet, with swing speeds of up to thirty miles per hour.

 

Kings Dominion has been a source of fun and entertainment for local Virginians, people from out-of-state, and even international travelers– over two million people attend the park every year. Although the safety of Kings Dominion guests is the “top priority” for the amusement park operator, there have still been instances where accidents and injuries have occurred. In one case, the accident was fatal. Some documented cases of injury and incident are listed below:

 

    • In September 1999, a twenty-year-old passenger on the Shockwave, a stand-up roller coaster, suffered fatal injuries (including traumatic brain injury) after being thrown from the last turn, causing him to hit a steel walkway at a speed of forty miles per hour.

 

    • In July 2006, a new ride, Volcano: The Blast Coaster, experienced a launch failure, resulting in a rollback that caused debris to hit passengers, some of whom were seriously injured. 

 

    • In July 2017, a woman nearly drowned while riding the water ride Tornado with her husband. The raft flipped, causing her to hit her head and become unconscious. In addition to her head, she suffered injuries to other parts of her body.

 

    • In July 2023, a child suffered injuries while exiting the Snoopy Space Buggies ride and went to the hospital for medical evaluation.

 

    • In March 2025, the Flight of Fear came to a halting stop during its ascent, trapping twenty passengers onboard and forcing them to await evacuation.

 

What is Water Country USA?

 

Water Country USA is the “mid-Atlantic’s largest water park,” with over forty rides ranging from kid-friendly to thrill-seeking.

 

The 1950’s and 60’s surfer-themed waterpark opened near Busch Gardens Williamsburg in June 1984. In 1993, Busch Entertainment Corporation purchased it. Now, United Parks and Resorts (formerly SeaWorld Entertainment Inc. or SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment) owns Water Country USA. It was voted the award for ‘28 Best Parks in the U.S.’ in 2024, and in 2025, it ranked fifth on the list of ‘Top 20 Water Parks in the U.S’.

 

Today, some of the main rides include: 

 

    • Aquazoid Amped is a sensory-immersive closed tube that drops riders over 864 feet at speeds of 20 feet per second.

 

    • Vanish Point, a drop slide from a seventy-five-foot tower. 

 

    • Riptide Race is a ride where two groups of riders compete, beginning at a fifty-four-foot tower and sliding over 520 feet to the bottom.

 

    • Jet Scream is a ride with several 400-foot flumes with speeds up to twenty-five miles per hour.

 

    • The Cutback Water Coaster is Virginia’s first hybrid water coaster, featuring a steep ramp with 850 feet of sliding action.

 

Despite the popularity and increasing number of visitors each year, injuries have occurred on Water Country USA’s premises. One documented case of injury is listed below:

 

    • In February 2016, a twenty-year-old visitor nearly drowned while in Surfer’s Bay, the largest wave pool in Virginia. Although the accident wasn’t fatal, he still suffered serious injuries that required medical attention.

 

Additionally, more than a decade ago, a woman and the parents of two children brought a civil action against Water Country, alleging the park supervisors should have known that one of their ride operators was sexually assaulting visitors.

 

Personal Injuries and Tort Law for Amusement Park Injuries

 

Personal injuries that occur at any of the amusement parks listed above fall under the legal category of tort law. A tort is a civil wrong: something someone does or fails to do that causes harm to another person and for which the injured party may pursue legal action.

 

Tort law provides a way to seek compensation for harm or damages caused by the actions—or inactions—of another person or business. The term ‘damages’ refers not only to physical injuries but also to psychological, emotional, and financial harm.

 

What are Common Causes of Amusement Park Injuries?

 

When someone calls our law firm about an injury that they or their child suffered at an amusement park, we investigate the cause of the harm.

 

The cause of an amusement park accident usually fits into one of the following categories:

 

    • Poor ride setup is a potential problem at fairs, carnivals, and festivals, particularly with movable rides that are set up and taken down quickly, often in the dark.  

 

    • Infrequent inspection or poor maintenance of rides increases the risk that something will go wrong on a ride.

 

    • Lack of supervision is a problem, especially at water parks. The park needs enough staff to ensure that visitors enter and exit the rides safely, check the safety belts, and enforce height and weight requirements.

 

    • Poorly maintained walkways or inadequate lighting increases the risk of trips and falls on park grounds.

 

    • Mechanical malfunction with the ride, often due to poor maintenance or faulty design.

 

What are Common Amusement Park Injuries?

 

The most common injuries our law firm sees from amusement park incidents include the following:

 

    • Whiplash from the acceleration and deceleration that many rides have

 

    • Head injury from the whiplash movement or from striking their head against a part of the ride

 

    • Back or neck pain from a sudden jolt on the ride

 

Corey Pollard Law for Your Amusement Park Ride Injuries

 

Amusement parks, carnivals, and water parks are great for the whole family. But a fun day can turn bad when the park fails to properly operate or maintain its rides, potentially leading to injury to you or your child.

 

Our law firm aims to help you hold amusement park and ride operators accountable for establishing and maintaining safe spaces for not only their employees but also their customers. This commitment extends to adults and kids who have suffered injuries at Gardens Williamsburg, Kings Dominion, Water Country USA, or any one of the amusement parks, fairs, or carnivals in Virginia.

 

Contact us today to learn more about your rights following an injury at an amusement or theme park.

Corey Pollard
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