There are a lot of places you can go to work out and have fun, but are they safe? You might enjoy hiking through Illinois’ forest preserves or hitting the gym several days a week. Many parents let their children go to trampoline parks, ice skating and roller-skating rinks, paintball fields, and other unique places. While all of these spaces offer a physical and emotional benefit, they might be more dangerous than you think. If you’re injured in an accident at a place of recreation, don’t hesitate to call Staver Accident Injury Lawyers, P.C. at (312) 236-2900. You also can use our online form to reach out for your free, confidential consultation.
Places of Recreation in Chicago
Places of recreation include public places you can access for free and private businesses you can use for a fee, including:
- Parks
- Forest preserves
- Beaches and waterfronts
- Piers
- Golf courses
- Bike paths
- Gyms
- Rock climbing gyms
- Yoga studios
- Spas
- Trampoline parks
- Roller skating rinks
- Paintball
- Laser tag
- Ax throwing
- Archery ranges
- Amusement parks
- Ziplining courses
- Theaters
- Sports stadiums
- Pools
- Water parks
Common Accidents at Places of Recreation
Slip and Falls
Various issues on the property can cause you to slip or trip and fall. Falls are one of the most common types of premises liability claims. They can lead to serious and catastrophic injuries, like broken bones and concussions. Talk with a lawyer about how a hidden danger caused you to lose your footing and how you can hold a property owner responsible.
Falls from heights
Many places of recreation have you participating in activities feet or stories above the ground. If you fall from a significant height, you can suffer catastrophic injuries.
Struck by Objects
Being hit by a falling or flying object at a place of recreation is a big risk. Sometimes it’s a risk you sign up for, like at a paintball facility. But in other places, this isn’t an inherent risk. You could be seriously hurt if you’re hit by a moving object. Talk with an attorney about holding a property owner liable for not keeping you safe.
Collisions Between People and Objects
In many places of recreation, you and other people are physically active. If the property isn’t set up to be as safe as possible, you could collide with another person or object. If you or the other person or object are moving at fast speeds, your injuries could be significant.
Drownings
Pools, water parks, beaches, and lakefronts that lack appropriate warnings and guards increase the risk of someone drowning or suffering injuries from a near-drowning.
Faulty Equipment
Many places of recreation provide equipment for certain activities. If the equipment is poorly maintained and defective, it might not serve its intended purpose safely and cause an accident.
Contaminated Food
Many places of recreation offer some type of food. If the owners or vendors don’t follow health and safety codes and food safety best practices, you could consume food contaminated with a harmful virus or bacteria.
Injuries from Accidents at Places of Recreation
Broken Bones
Falls, being struck by objects, and defective equipment accidents can all lead to serious bone fractures. In some cases, you can heal with a cast and time. But more complex breaks might need surgery to repair. You also might need physical rehabilitation to regain as much strength and flexibility as possible.
Traumatic Brain Injuries
Getting hit on the head is a serious problem. Blows to the head can temporarily disrupt your brain’s function or cause permanent injuries. A mild TBI is a concussion. Most people recover from it, but there can be long-term side effects. More severe TBIs can result in long-term cognitive, emotional, and physical complications or permanent disabilities. A severe TBI also can lead to a coma, vegetative state, or death.
Back Injuries
You could injure the muscles, tendons, or ligaments in your back, suffer a herniated disc, or fracture one or more vertebrae in a recreational accident. Some back injuries heal well with time, rest, and careful movement. But you also might need back surgery or long-term medical treatment. Back injuries also are well-known to stick around. You might deal with discomfort, pain, or limited movement for the rest of your life.
Spinal Cord Injuries
You could suffer a catastrophic spinal cord injury in a recreational accident. Spinal cord injuries involve loss of movement, loss of sensation, a higher risk of infection, respiratory issues, blood circulation issues, loss of bladder and bowel control, sexual dysfunction, and other physical and mental health complications.
Oxygen Deprivation Injuries
When you’re unable to breathe for too long, the lack of oxygen can cause brain damage. Depending on the extent of the damage, you could have permanent cognitive and physical deficits.
Food Poisoning
Most bouts of food poisoning are uncomfortable and inconvenient. But there are times when your illness can become serious or even life-threatening. You might need to be hospitalized for a foodborne illness.
Who Is Liable When You Get Hurt at a Recreational Facility?
The biggest question you have is probably whether or not you can hold the owner of the place of recreation responsible for your injuries. The answer is that it depends on the circumstances. If you’re confident you didn’t cause the accident, then talk with a premises liability lawyer as soon as possible.
An attorney from Staver Accident Injury Lawyers, P.C., will thoroughly investigate the accident and determine what caused it. If there’s evidence of a hazard, the owner or manager of that property might be at fault. We also might find that a vendor is responsible for what went wrong. We’ll advise you on who is liable for compensating you for your injuries, whether it’s the property owner or someone else.
Call Staver Accident Injury Lawyers, P.C. for Help Today
You don’t have to deal with the legal ramifications of an accident alone. When you get hurt at a public or private place of recreation, talk with us about what caused the accident and who is liable for your injuries. We know Illinois personal injury and premises liability law well and can use our knowledge and experience to help you recover compensation. Send us your information through the online form or call (312) 236-2900. We offer free consultations.
