Injured at a Summer Event You Were Working? Fairs, Festivals, and Liability

If you have been injured while working at a summer fair or festival, you may be entitled to financial compensation. An experienced Washington personal injury lawyer at Schauermann Thayer can help you learn whether you may be able to file a lawsuit to seek damages.

Summer fairs and festival jobs can be more legally complex than other employment settings due to the number of different companies with employees present and the potential for a wide range of injuries. If a third party (who is not your employer) caused or contributed to your injuries, you may be able to pursue a claim for damages against them. Your options for pursuing a claim for personal injuries may also be impacted by whether you qualify as an independent contractor. 

Fairs and Festivals Present Unique Dangers

Fairs and festivals can be dangerous in a number of respects. Not only are guests who are attending at risk of an injury, but those who work there could also be at risk. Some common fair and festival injuries may include:

• Faulty or poorly maintained rides or equipment
• Slips, trips, and falls (uneven ground, cables, liquids)
• Burns or cuts from food prep or cooking stations
• Heat exhaustion or dehydration without proper breaks or shade
• Injuries during setup or breakdown (stage rigging, tents, lighting)
• Crowd-related injuries or security failures

Pursuing Legal Remedies for Your Injuries

There are numerous people who may be working at a summer fair, and their employment could come in a number of contexts. For example, you could be working for a ride operator who was contracted to provide entertainment at a fair. You could be a security guard who was hired by a contractor providing services. In other words, it may be difficult to figure out who you may pursue a claim for injuries against. Although you generally cannot sue your employer in a negligence-based lawsuit, you may be able to take legal action against others who played a role in your injury. 

Your employer may not have been the party who was responsible for your injury. In the context of fairs and festivals, there are numerous other parties who could have caused or contributed to your injuries. Potential defendants in a personal injury claim may include:

• The owner of the premises, if the festival was on private property, and your injuries occurred due to unsafe conditions
• Another company that was present at the fair that may have been careless (such as a business that was tasked with providing security)
• The manufacturer of a defective ride
• The festival organizers, if they violated rules (assuming that you were not working directly for them).
• The local government if they owned the area where the fair or festival happened, and they played a role in organizing

Many people working at fairs and festivals are not actual employees of a business, but instead, are independent contractors who are hired for a certain task. If you were injured as an independent contractor, you may not be able to file a worker’s compensation claim. Your only potential remedy may be to pursue a personal injury claim.

If you are an employee, you may qualify for workers’ compensation benefits, regardless of your ability to pursue a personal injury claim against a third party (other than your employer). Typically, employees cannot sue their employers in a personal injury action, provided that the employer has followed the law and purchased workers’ compensation insurance coverage.

Why You Need a Personal Injury Lawyer When You Have Been Injured Working at a Fair or Festival

There are numerous factors that could make claims filed by fair or festival workers more difficult. For example, there may be more than one party who was to blame for the accident that injured you. In that case, the potential defendants may try to pass the blame to one another. There may also be a legal question about whether you are able to file a personal injury lawsuit. Personal injury attorneys can investigate all potential avenues of recovery and help you understand your options. 

If you have been injured on the job, consult with a personal injury lawyer at Schauermann Thayer by visiting our website or by calling us today at (360) 695-4244.