Management and staff at water parks owe their visitors a legal duty of care, and must take all reasonable measures to minimise the risk of guests being injured while visiting the premises. With many water parks featuring dozens of pools and slides spread across massive sites of 25+ acres, accidents occur on a daily basis, most of which are fortunately minor and not caused by safety failures on the part of the water park. However, some accidents cause injuries for which the water park operator can be held legally liable and obliged to pay compensation.

One area in which a water park may be responsible for an accident is when employees fail to supervise activities properly, for example, if there are insufficient numbers of trained staff on duty to monitor the safety of visitors effectively, and they fail to notice a safety risk resulting in a visitor being injured. This includes monitoring the behaviour of visitors to make sure they observe the rules and do not pose a danger to others, as well as providing proper instructions to visitors so that they know how to use the facilities safely.

Accidents at water parks commonly occur on slides and similar water-based rides. Slides must be well maintained and regularly inspected to check for safety flaws. Defective slides may cause visitors to be thrown off them at relatively high speed, potentially injuring themselves and others. Apart from pools and slides, water parks offer an ever-increasing range of facilities, including restaurants, bars, arcades, car parks and bathrooms, all of which must be maintained in a safe state by an efficient system of inspection and cleaning. Slipping accidents at water parks may be the result of maintenance failures, such as when a floor surface is left in a slippery and hazardous state by cleaning staff or spillages are not dealt with promptly.

If you have been injured in an accident at a water park through no fault of your own, contact our firm for expert legal advice from solicitors who have recent experience in personal injury compensation claims against water park owners and operators:

Compensation for Being Injured at a Water Park

January is the month when we receive the most enquiries from people who have been injured at hotels. With both Christmas and New Year’s Eve being popular times for getting away, hotels are usually booked to capacity, and have a wider than normal range of services offered and events planned for guests. This often leads to staffing pressures, which in turn can cause lapses in safety procedures with potentially hazardous consequences. The most typical enquiries we receive regarding accidents and injuries at hotels are:

Accidents in hotel bathrooms – Hotel guests may slip, fall and injure themselves in bathrooms causing cuts, bruises, broken bones and head injuries. Safety defects and hazards in hotel bathrooms must be dealt with by the hotel before guests are exposed to the risk of injury.

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Compensation for Accidents in Hotel Bathrooms

Burns from hotel radiators – Hotel radiators may be missing the necessary safety covers resulting in guests burning themselves on contact with hot exposed pipes and radiator surfaces. Guests commonly sustain burns to the legs, hands and fingers, injuries with the potential to leave long-term or permanent scarring.

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Compensation for Burns From Hotel Radiators

Other common accidents at hotels include falls down stairs lacking either proper safety rails or adequate lighting, cuts from broken glass, trips over electric cables, slips caused by spilled drinks, and food poisoning. Our solicitors have handled numerous successful compensation claims against hotels over the years, and offer advice and expertise that you can trust in this area of personal injury law.

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Injured at a Hotel?

Many parents will be taking their children to theme parks this summer during the school holidays and as part of the staycation trend for UK breaks this year. Theme park rides are normally well maintained and properly supervised by park staff, with strict safety measures in place to prevent accidents. However, the sheer number of people visiting theme parks every day combined with the amount of land that theme parks occupy means that accidents do happen, and the majority of these involve children getting injured.

Child accidents at theme parks are often the result of lack of supervision on the part of parents, as well as children’s lack of coordination, carefree behaviour and natural susceptibility to injuries. Other accidents are caused by theme park ride defects and poor maintenance, such as when a seat on a ride tilts or cracks due to wear and tear, or mechanical issues lead to rides speeding up, slowing down or stopping unexpectedly. Theme park owners need to have an efficient system of inspection and repairs in place to prevent accidents of this kind, with safety checks before the park opens and at regular intervals during the day.

Other accidents involving children at theme parks are caused by maintenance failures in the park grounds, such as when rubbish and similar obstructions are allowed to accumulate, or when areas of the site have potholes and uneven surfaces resulting in children tripping and falling. Spilled food and drinks can cause slipping accidents in cafes and restaurants at theme parks, while toilets and washing facilities need to be regularly inspected, cleaned and maintained in a safe state. Children may be struck by objects falling from height at theme parks, for example, when signs become detached and fall due to windy conditions, and park owners need to have safety measures in place that anticipate storms, strong winds and heavy rainfall.

Theme park owners have a legal duty to ensure that their premises, facilities, rides and other attractions are properly maintained and in a safe condition for visitors, as far as reasonably possible. When the blame for an accident lies with a park’s owners or employees, an injured child will be entitled to compensation. Children under the age of 18 are known as ‘protected parties’ in legal terms, as they are not suitably mature to conduct legal proceedings. They will therefore need to be represented by a ‘litigation friend’, usually a parent or guardian, who can make a claim on their behalf. Compensation will be paid into the court funds office, and held until the child has reached the age of 18. You can find out more about theme park accidents on our dedicated page:

Compensation for Accidents at Theme Parks

Many people are opting against travelling abroad this summer given the uncertainties surrounding the coronavirus pandemic and confusion over travel regulations, and are instead planning to take a holiday closer to home. Millions of people will be taking a staycation this summer at various types of destinations, including hotels, resorts, holiday homes, campsites and caravan parks. These establishments are likely to be extremely busy over the coming months, as people look to get away after so many months of lockdown restrictions.

Management and staff at these holiday destinations will need to pay particular attention to safety procedures to minimise the risk of guests getting injured or made ill through no fault of their own during their stay. Internal appliances such as gas boilers and immersion heaters need to be working properly, and all electrical goods and appliances must be in similarly good condition. Slips, trips and falls are common accidents at holiday establishments, and are often the result of lack of maintenance or poor inspection and cleaning routines. Frayed or worn carpeting, uneven floor surfaces and rotten floorboards are all possible causes of accidents of this kind.

Other examples of disrepair that can cause accidents include defective or damaged furniture, problems with banisters on stairs and hazards in outdoor areas, such as potholes in car parks or uneven paving stones in gardens.

Compensation for Accidents at Holiday Homes

Campsites and caravan parks need to make sure that pitches and outdoor areas at the site are maintained in a good state and kept free from hazards, as far as reasonably possible. Outdoor activities need to be properly organised and supervised, especially when children are taking part. Showers, toilets and cooking areas must be regularly inspected and an efficient cleaning system should be in place to maintain a safe environment for guests. Swimming pool activities need to be supervised by a qualified lifeguard, and safety rules should be clearly on display and properly enforced.

Compensation for Accidents at Campsites and Caravan Parks

Amid surging demand for staycations this summer, with prices rising to record highs in certain popular locations, owners, managers and staff at holiday destinations of every type need to make sure that safety measures are in place and properly applied so that guests do not face the risk of getting injured or made ill during their stay due to the negligence of the owner, management or employees.