The Golden State attracts millions of tourists each year for its sunny beaches, national parks, Hollywood, wine tours, and famous amusement parks like Disneyland and Universal Studios. Families everywhere plan their vacations around what California has to offer.
But what happens if a fun trip turns into a frightening experience when someone gets injured in a tourist accident? Suddenly, you’re no longer planning a day at the beach but instead find yourself in the hospital or at an emergency clinic.
That’s when you need to contact an experienced personal injury lawyer to discuss your legal rights and find out more about the compensation you might be entitled to.
Common Tourist Accident and Injury Locations
While every accident is unique, there are some common places where tourists are injured time and again. Some of these places include:
- Amusement parks
- Restaurants
- Pools
- Sports stadiums
- Zip lining and wilderness adventure parks
- Train, bus, and trolley tours
- Food and wine tasting events
- Crowded parking lots
Top Tourist Attractions in California
Depending on your interests, California has hundreds of tourist attractions that attract vacationers and residents alike every year. Some of these include:
- Yosemite National Park (San Francisco): Famous for waterfalls (Yosemite Falls), granite cliffs (El Capitan, Half Dome), and giant sequoias.
- Disneyland (Anaheim): The memorable Disney magic began here and expanded into themed lands, rides, and dining.
- Golden Gate Bridge (San Francisco): An iconic orange landmark offering remarkable views and drive/walk opportunities.
- Alcatraz Island (San Francisco): A historic former prison with interesting tours.
- Hollywood (San Francisco): Home to TCL Chinese Theater, the Hollywood sign, and the Walk of Fame.
- Big Sur (Central Coast): Scenic Highway 1, dramatic coastline, the redwood forests, and ocean views.
- Lake Tahoe: A huge alpine lake that is known for hiking, skiing, and clear blue waters.
- Joshua Tree National Park: A unique desert landscape, hiking, and iconic Joshua Trees.
- San Diego Zoo: A world-renowned zoo known for its diverse animal collection in Balboa Park.
- Griffith Observatory (Los Angeles): This location offers incredible Los Angeles city views, space exhibits, and the Hollywood Sign vista.
Injuries That Can Happen in Tourist Accidents
Whether it’s a neck injury from a poorly maintained amusement park ride, a slip-and-fall at a restaurant, or a tumble over a railing at a stadium sporting event, tourist accidents in California can result in serious injuries. These injuries can leave an unsuspecting tourist with medical bills, lost income, and an uncertain future for their family.
Some common injuries and case types that can happen in tourist accidents include:
- Catastrophic injuries
- Slip-and-fall injuries
- Bone fractures
- Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI)
- Back and neck injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Wrongful death
Contacting a personal injury lawyer is the best way to ensure that your legal rights are protected when you’re injured in a tourist accident. At Berg Injury Lawyers, we are focused on helping clients recover the financial compensation they deserve. When someone else’s negligence results in hardship for you, the legal system can provide a meaningful solution.
California Hospitals Where Injured Tourists Can Be Treated
Because California is a large state, it has multiple Level 1 trauma centers and well-equipped hospitals that can treat severe or moderate tourist injuries. Some of the most well-known of these hospitals include:
- Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
- UC San Diego Health
- Stanford University Medical Center
- Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center
- Arrowhead Regional Medical Center
- Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla
- UC Davis Medical Center
Examples of Tourists Injured at California Attractions
- Five people were hospitalized after a helicopter accident when it crashed amid beachfront hotels in Huntington Beach, injuring two people on board and three on the ground. Police closed Pacific Coast Highway in the area. A photo from the scene showed the helicopter’s fuselage wedged between hotel stairs and palm trees.
- Eight tourists died after their boat capsized in Lake Tahoe. The incident occurred amidst rapidly deteriorating weather conditions. An unexpected, powerful squall developed over southern Lake Tahoe, with wind speeds exceeding 56 km per hour and wave heights exceeding 2.5 meters.
- A 7-year-old girl from Calgary, Canada, died after being swept into the Pacific Ocean at Garrapata Beach. Her 39-year-old father also died while attempting to save her.
- One tourist died and 11 were injured in a bus crash near Yosemite National Park. The tour bus carrying students from China hit a tree near Yosemite and careened down an embankment. Authorities reported that 22 people were on the bus that crashed near the tiny village of Fish Camp.
- A father died while keeping his 7-year-old son afloat after a kayak capsized on Lake Perris. The 57-year-old man was pronounced dead after he and the boy were rushed to a local hospital.
Proving Negligence in a Personal Injury Case
California follows a “pure comparative negligence” rule in personal injury cases that allows an injured person to recover financial damages, even if they are partially at fault for the accident.
The landmark case Li v. Yellow Cab Co. established pure comparative negligence in California, replacing the previous contributory negligence rule, under which an injured party was barred from recovering damages if they shared some fault for the accident.
Under the pure comparative negligence rule, a plaintiff’s compensation amount is reduced by their percentage of fault. For example, if a plaintiff incurred total costs of $100,000 and was 20% at fault for the accident that caused their injuries, they would receive $80,000 in compensation.
To prove negligence in a personal injury claim, your attorney must establish four core elements:
- Duty: This means the defendant owed you a responsibility of care.
- Breach: This means they failed that duty.
- Causation: This means there’s a link between their failure and your injury.
- Damages: This means your attorney can demonstrate that you suffered actual harm, resulting in things like lost wages, medical bills, or other costs resulting from the defendant’s actions.
These four elements are essential to proving negligence and succeeding in a personal injury case.
Contact Our California Tourist Accident Lawyers Today
Berg Injury Lawyers is a law firm that cares deeply about our clients. Tourist accidents are often devastating and unexpected, because a much-anticipated vacation or activity turns into a horrible event.
We know that each individual who contacts us is going through a challenging experience. Our legal team treats every client and their family with care, compassion, and respect. We receive outstanding client testimonials from the injured parties we have helped. To find out more about how we can help you, contact us for a free initial consultation.
