Your Rights if Injured on a Las Vegas Observation Wheel or Attraction
Most tourists board a high-tech observation wheel or a rooftop roller coaster assuming that a massive invisible safety net of government regulation is watching their every move.
Unfortunately, that’s not true. In Nevada, the safety of these massive mechanical wonders is largely left to the operators themselves. While other states have rigid state-run inspection departments, Nevada is famously light on oversight for fixed amusement rides.
At Mainor Ellis Injury Lawyers, we deal with the fallout of this “self-regulation” every day. If you’re injured at an attraction, you aren’t fighting a simple accident; you’re fighting a billion-dollar resort’s legal department that is banking on you not knowing your rights.
The Myth of the “Inherent Risk”
Resort lawyers love to hide behind the “Assumption of Risk” doctrine. They point to the fine print on your digital ticket or the signs posted at the entrance and claim that by boarding the ride, you waived your right to sue.
Under NRS 455B.070, passengers are indeed deemed to have knowledge of the “inherent risks” of a ride, but only to the extent that those risks are open and obvious to a reasonable person.
A mechanical failure is not an inherent risk. An operator who is distracted by their phone is not an inherent risk. Inadequate maintenance on a cabin door is not an inherent risk.
At Mainor Ellis Injury Lawyers, we deconstruct these cases by proving that the injury wasn’t caused by the ride’s thrills, but by a breach of the operator’s duty of care. Nevada law, specifically NRS 455B.020, mandates that operators take all measures “reasonably necessary” to ensure passenger safety. If they fail that duty, the waiver they forced you to sign isn’t worth the pixels it’s printed on.
The Critical “Incident Report” Trap
Under NRS 455B.090, a passenger who sustains a personal injury on a ride is legally required to make a written report concerning the details of the incident before leaving the park.
Resorts use these reports as a weapon. They will try to get you to admit fault or downplay your pain while you are still in shock. Our team of Las Vegas premises liability lawyers knows how to counter these tactics. We look for:
- Surveillance gaps: We subpoena the high-definition footage that “mysteriously” goes missing when a guest is hurt.
- Maintenance logs: We hunt for the skipped inspections and the “red-tagged” parts that were never replaced.
- Training records gaps: We scrutinize whether the operator was actually certified to run that specific attraction.
At Mainor Ellis Injury Lawyers, we don’t let insurance companies shift the blame. We work with mechanical experts and safety consultants to prove that the lion’s share of the negligence lies with the multi-billion dollar entity that failed to keep its premises safe. Whether it’s a slip and fall on an observation platform or a catastrophic mechanical failure, we treat every case as a battle for the compensation you are legally entitled to.
Injured On an Observation Wheel or Attraction?
Las Vegas attractions are designed to be unforgettable, but they shouldn’t leave you with a lifetime of medical bills and trauma. You need a legal team that isn’t intimidated by the neon lights and the corporate legal machines of the Strip. At Mainor Ellis Injury Lawyers, we don’t just “handle” cases; we win them.
If you or a loved one has been injured on a Las Vegas observation wheel, zip line, or thrill ride, do not sign anything or accept a “complimentary” hotel stay as a settlement. Contact Mainor Ellis Injury Lawyers today at 702-450-5000 for a free consultation. Let us handle the legal heavy lifting so you can focus on your recovery.
Source:
leg.state.nv.us/nrs/NRS-455B.html
