Amusement park injuries

[low_delta]

Excerpt from an article at MSN:

Was her son’s accident the only one that just seemed to disappear? No, she says it turned out there were lots of them. For example, Disney never had to report what happened to Zipora Jacob, a 43-year-old former molecular biologist. Her husband, Chaim, says Zipora is a different woman since she rode Disney’s Indiana Jones attraction in 1995.
She was a totally healthy individual, says Chaim Jacob. She never had any problem whatsoever. And during the ride she felt pain in the back of her head. By the time she arrived in the hospital she was in a coma.
Mr. Jacob says his once-brilliant wife was so badly shaken up by the Indiana Jones ride that she suffered a near-fatal brain hemorrhage. And now? He says she must wear a shunt to drain fluids and must take dozens of pills every day. And will for the rest of her life. She is unable to work as a molecular biologist anymore.

ARE THERE INJURIES?
Disney declined Dateline’s repeated offers to comment on camera, but did respond to our written questions. Regarding allegations of brain injuries resulting from its rides, the company said: It has never been confirmed that our attractions cause such injuries.
But the Jacob’s lawyer, Barry Novak, tells a different story. We have found out that for the last approximately four years there have been over 60 injuries, documented injuries, as a result of the dynamics of amusement rides.

http://www.msnbc.com/news/602899.asp?pne=msn

Comments

let me see

[i.livejournal.com]

will this stop me from riding the biggest rollercoaster i can find? no way!

Re: let me see

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

Me neither!

All the accidents mentioned are either caused by people doing things that a careful person wouldn't, or seem to be caused by unknown susceptibilities.

*shrug*

After some of those rouigh roller coasters aat King's Island, I certainly understand the latter, and I'm grateful not to have suffered some sudden brain maladay. Of course, that could happen anyway, roller coaster or no.

Re: let me see

[i.livejournal.com]

i guess if i can survive my rollover coaster, i can handle anything

Re: let me see

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I guess. :-)

[sunshine-two.livejournal.com]

I think as long as there are 'thrill seekers' there will be injuries as noted. Sky diving, bungee jumping, roller coasters, and the like. As far as the stats of 60 people go... do you think the greater number of injuries is a portrayal of how many more people go for this type of thing versus say, sky diving?

Just wondering......

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

I definitely think it is a numbers game. And I imagine as time goes by, the rides get safer and safer.

I think the big concern here, especially as compared to skydiving and other "extreme" sports, nobody considers these rides dangerous, yet people are injured while riding them. Not only that, but noone is aware of that fact, since the mangement doesn't let the public know about the injuries and deaths.

[banana.livejournal.com]

I don't think they're that comparable:

• If I were to go sky diving or bungee jumping, I'd understand that I was doing something intrinsically dangerous, and accept the risk.
• When I go on a rollercoaster, I'm expecting to have fun and get off with nothing worse than wobbly legs for a while.

Hope that makes sense.

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

That was supposed to be my point.

They both have a likelyhood of causing injury or death, but the amusement parks cover it up, so nobody is aware of the danger.

On the other hand, the chances of getting hurt in an accident are still not much greater than they are anywher else, any time else.