# Counting Down 5 Texas Theme Park Mishaps | Attorney Brian White ![Counting Down 5 Texas Theme Park Mishaps](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Counting-Down-5-Texas-Theme-Park-Mishaps-300x200.jpg) Theme parks are a wonderful destination for families and adrenaline junkies alike; with stomach-dropping roller coasters and kid-oriented rides, there is something for everyone. However, these attractions can also be hotbeds for injury. According to a survey by the National Safety Council, [1,356 people reported injuries at amusement parks](https://www.nsc.org/learn/safety-knowledge/pages/injury-facts-odds-of-dying.aspx) in 2013. Some of these accidents are as innocuous as twisted ankles, but others can be much more serious. So what kinds of theme park accidents have occurred in the Lone Star State? Take a look at some of the more serious incidents that have happened in [Texas](https://www.texas.gov/). **Roaring Rapids Drowning** On March 21, 1999, a woman was enjoying a ride on the Roaring Rapids at Six Flags Over Texas when things went seriously wrong. The boat she was riding in deflated suddenly and flipped over into 3 feet of water. Because of the heavy weight of the inflatable, the woman was unable to free herself and drowned. **Texas Giant Accident** On July 19, 2013, 52 year old Rosa Esparza was riding a roller coaster at Six Flags over Texas in Arlington when she was flung from the car. She attempted to hang on, but fell 75 feet and hit a support beam. The family filed a suit, claiming the inspection protocol that could have prevented her death was ignored. In 2014, the family was awarded a settlement, and the Texas Giant was closed for 2 months after the incident.** ** **Poltergeist Incidents** This roller coaster located at Six Flags Fiesta Texas has been the site of two separate incidents. In the first, a 14 year old girl was paralyzed after she fell off of the platform and in between 2 cars, landing on a concrete slab 10 feet below. In a lawsuit filed by the family, papers allege that she fainted due to the intense heat and that safety netting installed below the cars could have saved her. Hailey Kuhn has been a paraplegic since the incident, which occurred in 2007. In a separate incident, two Poltergeist riders where trapped on the ride for over 2 hours in 2010.** ** **Texas Tornado Yo-Yo** 10 people were injured on March 12, 2006, when the swing-based ride stopped abruptly, sending passengers colliding into one another. Five riders received medical attention at the hospital for back pain, while the rest were treated on-site. The manufacturer of the attraction, Chance Rides, has since recalled their yo-yo rides at Six Flags and other parks around the country to fix defects that led to the incident. **Splashtown Ride** In 2004, 11 year old Chelsea McKay was going down a waterslide at a popular San Antonio waterpark. She landed hard on her feet and immediately complained of pain. The park officials gave her an ice pack, and she was driven to her father’s chiropractic office. An X-ray confirmed the girl had broken both ankles, and she was in a wheelchair for 7 weeks. Unfortunately, an investigation by the San Antonio Express-News found that many incidents, like Hailey Kuhn’s and Chelsea McKay’s, go unreported by park officials, even though Texas law requires them to do so. According to the Texas Department of Insurance, 120 theme park attendees broke bones and four riders required amputations between 2000 and 2008. The question remains if these numbers are under-reported by theme park officials. If you have been injured in a Texas theme park accident, you may be entitled to compensation for medical expenses or emotional damages. Contact the personal injury law attorney Brian White for a free consultation. ## Contact the Houston Premises Liability Lawyers at Attorney Brian White Personal Injury Lawyers For Help Our offices Houston — Greenway/Upper Kirby 3120 Southwest Freeway, Suite 350 Houston, TX 77098 Open 24 hours daily Call [(713) 364-1466](tel:+17133641466) [Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=Attorney%20Brian%20White%20Personal%20Injury%20Lawyers%2C%203120%20Southwest%20Freeway%2C%20Suite%20350%2C%20Houston%2C%20TX%2077098) Houston — East Freeway 11811 East Freeway, Suite 630-06 Houston, TX 77029 Open 24 hours daily Call [(713) 609-1893](tel:+17136091893) [Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=Attorney%20Brian%20White%20Personal%20Injury%20Lawyers%2C%2011811%20East%20Freeway%2C%20Suite%20630-06%2C%20Houston%2C%20TX%2077029) Houston — South Loop 2600 South Loop West, Suite 293 Houston, TX 77054 Open 24 hours daily Call [(713) 281-4904](tel:+17132814904) [Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=Attorney%20Brian%20White%20Personal%20Injury%20Lawyers%2C%202600%20South%20Loop%20West%2C%20Suite%20293%2C%20Houston%2C%20TX%2077054) Houston — Katy Freeway 11511 Katy Fwy, Suite 515 Houston, TX 77079 Open 24 hours daily Call [(713) 909-7537](tel:+17139097537) [Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=Attorney%20Brian%20White%20Personal%20Injury%20Lawyers%2C%2011511%20Katy%20Fwy%2C%20Suite%20515%2C%20Houston%2C%20TX%2077079) Houston — Clear Lake 1300 Bay Area Blvd, Suite B268 Houston, TX 77058 By appointment only Call [(936) 508-2854](tel:+19365082854) [Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=Attorney%20Brian%20White%20Personal%20Injury%20Lawyers%2C%201300%20Bay%20Area%20Blvd%2C%20Suite%20B268%2C%20Houston%2C%20TX%2077058) The Woodlands 1776 Woodstead Ct, Ste. 203 The Woodlands, TX 77380 By appointment only Call [(281) 843-9777](tel:+12818439777) [Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=Attorney%20Brian%20White%20Personal%20Injury%20Lawyers%2C%201776%20Woodstead%20Ct%2C%20Ste.%20203%2C%20The%20Woodlands%2C%20TX%2077380) Champion Forest (Cypress) 4606 FM 1960 Rd W, Ste. 444 Houston, TX 77069 By appointment only Call [(281) 843-9777](tel:+12818439777) [Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=Attorney%20Brian%20White%20Personal%20Injury%20Lawyers%2C%204606%20FM%201960%20Rd%20W%2C%20Ste.%20444%2C%20Houston%2C%20TX%2077069) --- For a legal consultation call [(713) 500-5000](tel:+17135005000) ### About the Author Brian White ![About the Author Brian White](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/brian-white-houston-personal-injury-lawyer-300x300.jpg) [Brian White](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/about/our-attorneys/brian-white/) earned his J.D. from South Texas College of Law in Houston and is licensed to practice in Texas. 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It includes the Houston Zoo, the Miller Outdoor [![What To Do if I'm Injured in Inks Lake State Park in Burnet, TX?](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/What-To-Do-if-Im-Injured-in-Inks-Lake-State-Park-in-Burnet-TX-300x199.jpg)](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/blog/what-to-do-if-im-injured-in-inks-lake-state-park-in-burnet-tx/) [What to Do If I'm Injured in Inks Lake State Park in Burnet, TX](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/blog/what-to-do-if-im-injured-in-inks-lake-state-park-in-burnet-tx/) Sustaining a personal injury is always stressful, but it can become even more so if you were hurt in a public space [![Injured at Houston Botanic Garden on Valentine’s Day? What to Do Next](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Injured-at-Houston-Botanic-Garden-on-Valentines-Day-What-to-Do-Next-1-300x224.jpg)](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/blog/injured-at-houston-botanic-garden-on-valentines-day-what-to-do-next/) [Injured at Houston Botanic Garden on Valentine's Day: What to Do Next](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/blog/injured-at-houston-botanic-garden-on-valentines-day-what-to-do-next/) Valentine’s Day should be a time for romance, shared memories, and enjoying breathtaking moments with someone [![5 Ways To Ensure Swimming Pool Safety](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/5-Ways-To-Ensure-Swimming-Pool-Safety-300x200.jpg)](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/blog/5-ways-to-ensure-swimming-pool-safety/) [5 Ways to Ensure Swimming Pool Safety](https://attorneybrianwhite.com/blog/5-ways-to-ensure-swimming-pool-safety/) Drowning is a much greater danger than most people realize. Every year, approximately 4,000 people drown in the United --- Source: https://attorneybrianwhite.com/blog/counting-down-5-texas-theme-park-mishaps/