Six Flags' Kentucky Kingdom ~ Bad Accident

[Big Wallaby]

I refer to my previous post. If they would take responsibility (even if it WAS the manufacturer's fault, you can take responsibility without being the one to blame) and get her taken care of, it would have gone much better in the media. And now with the family suing, it's going to get worse for them as they go into this crying, "It's not our fault!" The girl paid them money, so it IS their responsibility. At least, to SOME degree.

[leftcoaster]

IIRC, the cable was inspected that morning.

If it was inspected by Six Flags personnel, then sure as poop, it IS their fault.

[Randy B]

IIRC, the cable was inspected that morning.

If it was inspected by Six Flags personnel, then sure as poop, it IS their fault.

It also depends on what kind of "inspection" was done.

A 16 year old kid on work release from high school who stands far enough out from the base to be able to see the top, looking up and saying "yep, it's still there", is an inspection.

A trained engineer who makes a detailed inch-by-inch exploration of the cable is also an inspection.

An engineer using a variety of scanning equipment to check for wear and strain that may be invisible to the naked eye, is an inspection.

As you can see the effectiveness of an "inspection" will depend on what kind. And it is very possible that a defect (either in manufacture, installation or wear) could be completely hidden from all but the most intense (and expensive) inspection and such an inspection would require the dismantling of the ride so the individual components can be subjected to a detailed analysis in a lab.

A well designed ride should have many backup and safety devices that prevent injury in the case of a failure in one or more components. If this was a case of poor design or neglegence in manufacture, the operator may not have any idea that the situation was not planned for.

But I agree that if 6F was smart they would have thrown all their weight behind making sure that the injured guest got all the care and support possible. And then they would have been on the other side of public opinion (if not the court system). If after an independant evaluation of what went wrong, the operator was found neglegent, they would have a good will base to work from. If the manufacturer or designer were found to be in the wrong, 6F would have been able to recover their financial outlays in support of their guest from the guilty entity. Either way they come out smelling good and lots of PR value can be recovered. But by being a "It's not my fault" group, they come out looking like they don't care about their guests (if they do or not) and thus the PR (and legal) fallout will not be good.

JMHO

Randy

[Big Wallaby]

JMHO

Randy

Mine too. And that's honest, rarely humble. Like I used to say when people would laugh at something I said, then I would show I was serious: "I try to be funny, but I never joke." Also very useful in making sure they follow my safety rules.

[ktulu]

It sounds like the lawyers "say nothing, do nothing" that screw them over. "If we offer condolences, money, etc, that can be taken as us accepting responsibility. Go with the 'sucks to be you' attitude."

[BRWombat]

It sounds like the lawyers "say nothing, do nothing" that screw them over. "If we offer condolences, money, etc, that can be taken as us accepting responsibility. Go with the 'sucks to be you' attitude."

I have found that many plaintiffs at least just want someone to acknowledge that they're hurting. I've lost count of the times that a sincere personal "I'm sorry this happened to you" has opened the door to settlement negotiations. A lot of defendants -- and their lawyers -- focus exclusively on the legalities and the $$$ and lose sight of this very human factor.

[Big Wallaby]

a sincere personal "I'm sorry this happened to you"

And for the chickens, please note that you don't even take responsibility in that case, you are just admitting that it happened and it was a horrible thing in the lives of the people who were hurt!

[BRWombat]

And for the chickens, please note that you don't even take responsibility in that case, you are just admitting that it happened and it was a horrible thing in the lives of the people who were hurt!

Exactly. And I meant it when I said sincere... Yes, I do realize that it will probably help negotiations, and I do need to diligently represent my client, but (unlike a lot of lawyers?) I'm a human first.

(You know what they say -- it's 99% of the lawyers that give the other 1% a bad name! :D: )

[Big Wallaby]

...and I do need to diligently represent my client, but (unlike a lot of lawyers?) I'm a human first.

So where does your marsupialness fit in? Or is that marsupiality? :D:

And it's nice to hear that we still have a few lawyers out there for whom we can see on your headstone (hopefully MANY years down the road), "Here lies a lawyer and a good man," and people like me will know it's not referring to two people in the grave.

[BRWombat]

So where does your marsupialness fit in? Or is that marsupiality? :D:

And it's nice to hear that we still have a few lawyers out there for whom we can see on your headstone (hopefully MANY years down the road), "Here lies a lawyer and a good man," and people like me will know it's not referring to two people in the grave.

lol. Reminds me that many years ago, right out of law school, I had a custom button made (since lost) that read, "I'd hate lawyers, too, if only I weren't one."

You know, now that I think about it, I don't have many fellow lawyers as friends. :D: