People in New Haven County and other parts of Connecticut might expect to face danger in a few circumstances, but most people don’t expect to be hurt in the course of everyday activities. An accident at a recent festival in which children sustained most of the injuries serves as a good reminder that injuries can occur anywhere, and that it is important to know your rights in the event that you are unexpectedly hurt.

Ride malfunction leads to injury

According to the New York Times, a ride malfunction at a community festival in Norwalk led to the injury of eighteen people. The ride lost power and came to a sudden stop, causing some people to fall. NBC Connecticut reports that other people were injured when the stop caused their swings to collide with other riders’ swings or the frame of the ride.

A total of 12 children and 6 adults were injured, and 13 of them were taken to the hospital, according to NBC Connecticut. Two people sustained serious injuries, and one young boy had to stay at the hospital overnight to receive treatment for his leg injury. The ride, which had cleared the inspection before operation, was shut down after the accident pending further investigation.

The story illustrates how easily unexpected injuries can occur, and provides an opportunity to help people understand their rights when they are hurt through no fault of their own.

Finding help for personal injuries

There are a variety of circumstances that can lead to accidents that, in turn, cause serious injuries. Some of these situations are unavoidable, but many are caused because of the negligence of an individual or organization. When this is the case, the injured person can seek compensation from the negligent person. There are four things that must be proven true in cases of negligence:

• It must be clear that the defendant had a duty to act in some way on behalf of the plaintiff.
• It must be shown that the defendant either failed to act or acted in a way that violated the duty.
• The plaintiff’s injury must clearly have resulted from the defendant’s actions.
• The plaintiff must have suffered a legitimate injury.

When people are injured on property that belongs to another person, liability can fall to the property owner, though in some cases a third party like a contractor may have played a role in the accident. Failings that constitute negligence include inadequate security and outdated or unsafe equipment.

When people are severely injured, it is important that they seek compensation not only for those injuries, but also for any lost income or reduced quality of life that results from those injuries.

If you or a loved one has been hurt and you think that another person is responsible, you should contact an attorney who can help you determine whether you are entitled to compensation.