Personal Injury Law

Missouri Man Sues Park Over Injuries From Truck Crash Into Spectators

By Jeff Lowe, Esq.

A Joplin man sued The Bunker Extreme D-Day Adventure Park over severe injuries he sustained at a truck and bike rally when an off-road truck drove through a safety barrier and into the audience, the Joplin Globe reported July 31. Joel Fulton was one of five people who were hurt July 25, after the driver of the truck lost control while driving through a mud pit, plowing through a safety barrier and into spectators. The crash also killed Asami Fujita of Guam and injured Tony Rockrohr of Granby; Kevin Wallace of Carl Junction; and Joanne Sweet of Neosho. The newspaper did not specify any of their injuries.

The park is an outdoors-focused park in Wyandotte, OK, offering paintball and off-roading on motorcycles, trucks and ATVs. According to the lawsuit, Fulton planned to participate in the off-road rally. He and others were lined up on top of the safety barrier for a photo at the request of the park?s owner, Dewayne Convirs, when driver Johnny Davis lost control of the truck and crashed into the barrier. In the resulting accident, the lawsuit says, he suffered massive body trauma leading to permanent injuries. He and his wife, Angela Fulton, are suing the park, Convirs and Davis for negligence, including negligence by the park for failing to take sufficient safety precautions and negligent operating of the truck by Davis.

A lot of people believe that parks and other public places wouldn?t be open to the public if they weren?t safe. As a Missouri personal injury attorney, I?m afraid I know otherwise. It?s true that property owners have a legal obligation to prevent foreseeable injuries to people who are on their property legally, including customers and invited guests. If there is a safety hazard, property owners must clear it within a reasonable amount of time or post a warning sign. However, in many cases, property owners fail to meet that legal obligation, due to carelessness or cost-cutting. When this leads to a serious accident, as in this case, victims have the right to hold property owners legally responsible for their injuries with a Missouri personal injury lawsuit.

Full post as published by Missouri Injury Lawyer Blog on August 06, 2009 (boomark / email).