Amusement Park Lawsuits/Criminal Charges - Going to far?

[Jamesb58]

Hey Everyone:

Well, as I sit here and type up this artical, I sit and think about how many
rides have had serious injuries and deaths this year, but what sticks out in
my mind, is the fact of Lawsuits and Criminal Charges.

This year, so many lawsuits and actual Criminal charges are being put
against Park Owners and the Amusement Industry as a whole. Lets look
at a few incidences.

-Pigeon Forge: We all remember this one! To refresh your memory, a
women died when her harness released during ride operation. The court
found the Manager of the Amusement Park Guilty of Reckless Homicide.
Was it really his fault for her death? NO. So, that's one Manager with four years probation.

-Germany: A 3 year old boy was killed, when he ran away from his
mother and attempted to get on a running Carousel. The Owner is now
facing Negligent Homicide charges. Now come on! Ok, it's the owners fault
that the mother couldn't hold on to her kid. Jeez!

-Rye, N.Y.: Just in, a 7 year old boy dies from drowning on a water ride.

"The boy apparently climbed out of the boat and got caught in the
conveyor belt of Ye Old Mill, a boat-in-the-dark ride, at Playland in
Westchester County." - CNN.com

Now how much do you want to bet that there will be a lawsuit and a
Criminal Charge set against the Owner of the park?

-Now there is a new lawsuit:
http://www.courttv.com/news/2005/0815/m ... c_ctv.html
Now this is going TOO FAR!!!

This is just the tip of the iceberg. In this day of age, people will sue and
will press Criminal Charges on anyone, regardless if it's their fault or not.
Ok, here we go, I will enter a restricted area of Great America, get hurt
and will sue the Park for not having adaquit fencing to keep me out of a
restricted area. Guess what! I would win! Which isn't right! yeah, I'll win
$5 Million for something that was totally my fault and not the parks fault!

The question posed today is, Are Criminal Charges and Lawsuits going to
far against Amusement Parks? What are your thoughts and opinions on
this? Should Amusement Parks be held Criminaly Responsible for deaths?
Should Parks be sued over everything?

[mschulz5]

-Pigeon Forge: We all remember this one! To refresh your memory, a
women died when her harness released during ride operation. The court
found the Manager of the Amusement Park Guilty of Reckless Homicide.
Was it really his fault for her death? NO. So, that's one Manager with four years probation.

How is that not the manager's fault? When someone owns a machine, and that machine kills somebody, intentional or not, it's the owner's fault. He should've kept the ride better maintained, and it probably wouldn't of happened.

[FParker185]

Manager says Zamperla put in the jumpers on that Hawk (obviously the jury didnt buy it).

Otherwise, I have just 2 words. Tort Reform.