MORALITY MATTERS
California judges declared the Pledge of Allegiance unconstitutional. Alabama judges decide that it is illegal to display the Ten Commandments in a court house. Manufacturers of legal and regulated items such as tobacco, handguns and fast food are sued by those who overuse or misuse their products. Fortunately the above are isolated incidents of misbehavior by a few misguided individuals. In most cases, our legal system recognizes the difference between right and wrong and the role of morality in the institutions that made this country great. While far from perfect, most members of the legal community strive to achieve what is moral and just. Without laws there is chaos. Without recognition of God, the yearning for freedom and basic morality, there can be no laws.
Bond & Associates, P.C.
Summer Newsletter 2003
In this issue…
Who’s Liable if You are Injured at an Amusement Park?
Newsmakers
Meet Our Staff
Areas of Practice
Who’s Liable if You are Injured at an Amusement Park?
If you are injured while on a roller coaster ride at an amusement park, would you be able to hold the owner of the park liable for your injuries?
An amusement park owner is not the insurer of the safety of patrons, but is required to take proper measures to remove safety hazards in the park that could cause injury, and to notify patrons if hazards do exist.
Safe Conditions
In maintaining a safe environment, an amusement park owner must routinely:
- Ensure that all areas are in safe condition for patrons (from grounds and walkways to facilities and rides)
- See that all equipment is properly designed, built, and maintained
- Make sure any child entering a ride is of proper height and weight and old enough to understand and avoid the risks of a ride
- Make sure elderly persons or people with obvious health conditions are warned about the ride’s risks before entering
In most states, however, the owner’s duty and liability is diminished for trespassers, although posted warnings explaining the risks of entering a property may be required.
Evident Risks
An amusement park owner may not be responsible for evident risks associated with the proper use of a ride or participation in an event. The owner may not be held accountable if a patron became ill or was injured while:
- Exiting a ride before it completely stopped, or before being advised to exit
- Failing to follow instructions or safety precautions
- Reacting to a frightening event, such as voluntary entry into a haunted house (as long as no defect in the ride caused the injury)
- Riding a roller coaster (which has an inherent risk of becoming ill)
Routine Maintenance
An amusement park owner is responsible for thoroughly testing and inspecting all equipment on a regular basis.
Certain courts require owners to take the same care as most public transportation systems; other courts require greater care. The amount of care required varies with each different ride.
The owner may be responsible for:
- Any defect found during a regular inspection
- Negligence resulting from either a lack of care or failure to correct a defect that was discovered
- Neglect in maintaining safety devices, such as brakes, wheels, conveyor chains, or rails
The owner may not be liable for manufacturer’s defects not apparent during regular inspections.
The growth of our firm and the magnitude of the cases we handle have recently put us in the media spotlight.
- A suburban newspaper called on our expertise to comment on high profile litigation over a multi-million dollar piece of vacant property in Vernon Hills.
- Our success in having a fraudulent transfer of an elderly person’s home invalidated and returned to her has been covered in legal journals throughout the state.
- Our handling of the sale of a local business to a Fortune 500 company was dealt with extensively in trade journals.
- A successful personal injury settlement was featured in a newspaper written for Chicago area lawyers.
We are currently handling several other cases which have caught the eye of the press, the legal community and the public at large. Look for more stories about us and our clients in the future.
REFERRALS ARE OUR BEST SOURCE OF BUSINESS
If you are receiving this newsletter, one or more of the members of our firm has represented you in a past legal matter or dispute and we thank you for your business. Were you satisfied with the service you received and the results we obtained? Did you feel that our fees were fair and reasonable? If so, please feel free to refer our firm to your friends, family and acquaintances. We strive to make our clients happy and nothing says thank you better than repeat business or a referral.
TED BOND, JR. is the founder of the Law Offices of Thaddeus M. Bond, Jr. & Associates, P.C. A licensed Illinois attorney since May 1991, Ted has concentrated his practice in the areas of real estate law, civil litigation, worker’s compensation claims and personal injury law. Ted cares about his clients and promises prompt, courteous service.
Over his career, Ted has handled thousands of real estate transactions, successfully completing the transfer of all manner of property. As house counsel for the first and still one of the largest title insurance agencies in Illinois, Ted has an unsurpassed knowledge of the finer points of real estate law.
Ted began his legal career as house counsel for a large national insurance company. Since 1995, he has been engaged in private practice based in Lake County, Illinois. He has tried dozens of cases to verdict before judges, juries and administrative courts throughout Illinois. Ted also has vast experience before the Appellate Courts of Illinois. In 1998, he argued before the Illinois Supreme Court, a rare experience for the small firm practitioner.
Let Ted and his firm put their experience to work for you.
REFERRALS ARE OUR BEST SOURCE OF BUSINESS
If you are receiving this newsletter, one or more of the members of our firm has represented you in a past legal matter or dispute and we thank you for your business. Were you satisfied with the service you received and the results we obtained? Did you feel that our fees were fair and reasonable? If so, please feel free to refer our firm to your friends, family and acquaintances. We strive to make our clients happy and nothing says thank you better than repeat business or a referral.
AREAS OF PRACTICE
Our firm handles a wide variety of cases. While we may have helped you in one area of the law, you may not be aware that we also handle:
- Real estate law
- Residential closings
- Commercial closings
- Landlord representation
- Title disputes and litigation
- Family law
- Divorce
- Child support
- Custody/Visitation
- Paternity
- Adoption
- Orders of protection
- Prenuptial agreements
- Personal Injury
- Motor vehicle accidents
- Slip and fall
- Dog bites
- Products Liability
- Medical Malpractice
- Wrongful Death
- Worker’s compensation
- Civil litigation
- Wills and trusts
- Small business formation and representation
- Criminal Law and Traffic Violations: Although we do not handle these types of cases, we can refer you to competent legal counsel
INITIAL CONSULTATIONS ARE ALWAYS FREE
SE HABLA ESPANOL
