Sunday, November 28, 2010

Atlantis Bahamas Danger! Enter at your own Risk!


To Mr. Solomon Kerzner    
                                                                                                                                       
Re: Atlantis Resort Bahamas 

Dear Mr. Sol Kerzner

    My name is Dr. Paul Finucan I was injured on the water slide (Surge) at the water park at Atlantis Saturday 8/21/10.  I made a report at both the nurses’ station and with the security office at Atlantis. ( copy of report enclosed).  I have also contacted Ms. Fountain, Latoya.Fountain@kerzner.com by phone and email. She said she would respond, but she has not thus far. Therefore I am sending you this email.
     We have been to Atlantis resort and Water Park (Bahamas), we thought when we were on your properties the safety and welfare of your guests would be a high priority. We had never been to the water park before, now we have come to find out that tourists if injured at Atlantis are sent away with, so sorry about your injuries hope you get well, but we are not going to help you. I have been ignored and looked at from the very start as an inconvenience to the Atlantis personnel after having a serious injury at Atlantis. The manager and your security people kept me for 3 hours filling out reports and waiting in a wheel chair to go back to the ship. All the while sitting cold (soaking wet sitting in air conditioning) injured and in pain. Not one of the staff seeing me for 3 hours sitting in a wheel chair bruised, scraped, bleeding, and in pain, asked me if any they could help me in any way. Not one asked about my welfare. Even asking for a glass of water seemed too much to ask, but someone did finally give me a cup of water. My family and I have traveled to many places and resorts and have never before been treated with such carelessness. I expected much more from Atlantis its management and staff.
     Subsequently after my accident at Atlantis my wife and I talked to several others that were injured on the same water slide.  One gentleman required stitches in his head. If I hit the cement head first instead of striking my heel first, I would have suffered severe and possibly fatal head injuries. This appears very negligent to me and that Atlantis is not concerned at correcting and making this water slide safe.  I also have proof that the attendants know about risks on this ride and I will provide it if needed.
My chief symptoms since the accident have been headaches, sharp right heel pain with difficult walking and unable to put weight on my heel, right leg muscle pain, neck pain and stiffness, upper back pain and stiffness, low back pain and stiffness, all Lumbar ranges of motion are limited by pain and stiffness, pain and numbness down left thigh and left leg. 
As a direct result of the water slide I sustained the following injuries: Head trauma, neck sprain/strain, right heel contusion and bone bruise, left knee abrasions, multiple lumbar disc injuries. The MRI shows L5 disc herniated, L3 and L4 disc bulges. Reports enclosed. Before this accident I had no pain or injures.
As a result of these injuries I have missed work days and still now 2 months later, I have been limited and unable to work to my full capacity as a physician. I have lost considerable income and have had a great deal of medical expense.
When I made the report immediately while at Atlantis, the manager at Atlantis stated she would refund our credit card for the charges witch I still have not received to date. We were charged $380.00 on 8/21/10. Atlantis adventures. (update now credited $110 only) I was charged $380 for my family and myself, we were at the park only 30 min. when I was injured and we had to go back to the ship. I was told by the manager I would be refunded $380 not $110. The hotel manager also said for me to send my medical bills to Atlantis and they would be paid. I have been paid nothing!
I have discussed my injuries with a Law Firm in the Bahamas, they stated they have other clients that were also injured at Atlantis.
First and foremost I am asking you to have the Surge and all the slides at Atlantis be checked and made safe. I would not have had these injuries if this ride were safe! Train life guards important care instructions when someone is injured, and when to call for assistance.
I have sustained permanent spinal injuries as shown in the report along with pain and suffering, loss of work and my family vacation was totally ruined, to say the least. 
 Why not to go to Atlantis. Not one person, lifeguard or manager at Atlantis showed compassion or concern for my well being. When I was standing in the rapids immediately after my injuries the lifeguard just stood there looking at me in pain. Then when I said I was hurt she pointed to the Nurse station, far away and went back to her post. No one helped or assisted me limping all the way.
Update: This letter was sent to Atlantis and to Mr. Sol Kerzner with no response at all. I believe this demonstrates their total disregard for anyone injured at Atlantis.

36 comments:

  1. WOW! Good to know; I am going on my honeymoon cruise in January! I'm not sure if we planned to go there, but thanks to you, we will not be! I hope you get well; God is still in control!

    -Jack

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  2. Can you perhaps document for us the detailed occurrence of the actual reporting of the incident and what was said and done ..What you said at first and all the questions or reports the security and staff responded with word for word if you can.How did the report look like that you completed? Who was responding to your letters and what was said?
    What was the operating procedure like at the start of the slides. Safework procedures. Are there any others that also got injured.Have you got there particulars. Did you hear of their accidents before your incident or after. What does the signage say before entering the slide etc. Did you report the incident to the authorities in Bahamas? Did you tak elegal action?
    Regards
    Joe.
    We can take the matter up if we have all the details

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    1. I filed a report at Atlantis they said they would help me but they said they would not give me a copy of the nurse station report.

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  3. Well, I have been there many times never had a problem with anything what ever u do in todays world u have to be careful sometimes we think we are 17 and we are not anyway i hope u feel better ,did u ever have back problems before anyway Good Luck and I can only say Feel better

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    1. I have been to many other water parks here in the US, with no injuries or problems, I if it happens here the parks here actually do help!

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    2. I was also injured there at Atlantis a month ago today....I was hurt on the lazy river and from what I read, I'm not the only one. I plan on contacting a lawyer and will push forward if only to prove a point- I had a severe infection in my legs because I was given band aids and a pat on the head. No response from Atlantis yet either. If you want to be in the tourist industry be responsible! Its despicable that all they want is green bills.

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    3. I was also injured there at Atlantis a month ago today....I was hurt on the lazy river and from what I read, I'm not the only one. I plan on contacting a lawyer and will push forward if only to prove a point- I had a severe infection in my legs because I was given band aids and a pat on the head. No response from Atlantis yet either. If you want to be in the tourist industry be responsible! Its despicable that all they want is green bills.

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  5. Hi my name is Adam, I was also at the Bahamas Atlantis water slide and also was badly injured.I was not able to work for over a month and was forced to spend my time in a bed. Atlantis is not correcting the problem with the water slide or compensating for the medical expenses and lost wages. If there is anybody that was injured at the bahamas water slide in atlantis, please email me ASAP at adamkoinc@gmail.com so that this problem can be resolved and have the medical expenses covered. This is not our fault but a bad design for not making the landing pool deep enough.!

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  6. Goodness, I am glad to know I am not the only one. I went to the Atlantis as an excursion with my 2 teenagers May 31. I can't remember the name of the waterslide right off hand, but it was the one that goes straight down and inside tubes,etc on a single or double raft. I believe. I chose to go down with my 17 year old 220lb son, which they said had to be sitting behind me on the raft. I am small frame 120lb female. The force when we hit the bottom of the initial drop caused my head to go back so hard my neck popped and hurt so bad it scared the heck out of me...my son even complained of it hurting his back. I didn't seem to have any other symptoms at the time, but when I woke up the next morning, the front of my neck was so sore and I couldn't move my head from side to side or look up. The symptoms progressed and I couldn't lift myself out of bed. My arms went numb at times and headaches from hell. Once back in the US I immediatly went to urgent care, have been off work for over a week and my pcp said I sustained whiplash. I believe the extra force from having double riders allowed to go down on this ride is a serious danger. I will never go on another waterslide again.

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  7. I didn't see anywhere in your post where it explains exactly you incurred these injuries but I can say I just got back from a vacation at Atlantis and my 11 year old son somehow survived without as much as a scratch after riding the Surge (and every other slide there as well.

    Perhaps if you explained the details of how you received these injuries I would be a little more sympathetic but it just sounds like you're the typical money grubber looking for someone's icy sidewalk to slip and fall on.

    Please explain how there was negligence on behalf of the resort that led to your injuries.

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    1. The slide has a bad designe, at the first landing the water is too shallow my inner tube skiped and I hit the cement wall, then the shallow rapids next I flipped over and hit my head and back. I am an athlete, active in sports and water sports, this slide is faulty and that is why not all, but many have been really hurt.

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  8. Thank you for sharing this! I think it's really important if people who have experienced injuries at Atlantis and have been maltreated (or not medically treated at all), work on a collective lawsuit. Because it seems like that's the only way they will change their safety measures at their water park. I went to the Bahamas and was debating whether or not to go to the watermark and I'm glad we chose not to - I'm not putting my life at risk to go on watersides...I can do that at water parks close by me (which are safely designed and lifeguards are well trained).

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    1. Also the U.S. should ban them from advertising here until it is safe!

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  9. We are a Bahamas law firm and have been very successful with personal injury claims for situations such as this in The Bahamas against hotels. If you require our assistance, please email us at info@legalbahamas.com or lawbahamas@gmail.com

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  11. My 7 year old son and I had almost exactly the same experience. We were riding The Current ride. At the opening to the Rapids, our inner tube was grabbed by the mechanical rollers simultaneously with another tube. Two tubes were forced through the narrow opening that was intended for only one. We were jettisoned out of the tube right into the Rapids. The force of the current was too great for me to stand, my son hit his head on the wall and was hysterical, we were both scraped badly. No lifeguard came to our assistance. I managed to scoop my son up and get him to safety. The nurse was completely incompetent, she did no neurological exam on my son who hit his head to see if he had a head injury, nor did she clean our wounds. This was the second of five days there, afterward any further activity that involved salt water - our pre-paid dolphin experience, saltwater lagoon obstacle course, snorkeling, swimming in the ocean etc were out of the question as the saltwater was excruciating on our wounds. My son was in tears when we tried the dolphin experience, that was our whole reason for going to Atlantis.

    I'm a runner/triathlete and I could hardly walk afterward. My left foot was so badly scraped that it became infected and swollen to 3 times it's normal size. It has been a month since I've been able to wear a running shoe. I can only just now but it's still very painful. The ride is not safe and no one advises you of the danger as you are getting on it. Where we boarded it, it appeared like a nice little lazy river float in an inner tube. In fact, no one advises you of anything with respect to this particular ride.

    The resort has done nothing but dodge me and give me the run around after ruining our vacation. My advice would be to pick a different resort that cares about the safety and well-being of their guests.

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    1. I have heard from many others with the same result.

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    2. The exact same scenario as described above happened to my daughter and I while on 'The Current' ride. Right before the rapids section of the river ride, our tube collided with another, upending ours. We both were tossed into the rapids and both got banged up and were seen by the resident nurse. It is a year later and I still have scars. We were lucky to not have gotten more seriously injuries. The lifeguard who helped us said people get hurt daily on the ride. We will never return to The Atlantis resort.

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  12. http://atlantisbahamasisnegligent.blogspot.ca/

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  13. Similar experience when we took went with our young kids during Dec 2013. There were people getting seriously injured and not much compassion was shown by the staff, not enough first aide supplies, and worst of all, there was a lady with a broken neck /back and they weren't closing the rides despite the riders being seriously injured. The bloody show went on... it was difficult to watch! One of the staff sitting next to us commented that this is a daily affair and he has seen a lot of blood in that park!!

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  14. Today is August 16 is 9 PM I was also just recently injured on the rapids ride; i'm just so thankful I wasn't a child. I was I was flipped over and hit the back of my head against the rocks I lost consciousness the current was so strong that is swept me all the way down and when I was finally able to stand up I tried unsuccessfully to get out of the water after many attempts finally in life LifeCore a cane to assist me and when I did get out the water I help for lease 34 lacerations on my write me and I had 2 to 3 lacerations on my right elbow with the contusion on the back of my head I broke two fingernails and worst of it all I was pointed towards the medic I wasn't offered a ride after I begged and pleaded for the young lady to please call for a ride because my young nephew was with me and the ground the temperature on the ground had to be a lease over 100 write me and I had 2 to 3 lacerations on my right elbow with the contusion on the back of my head I broke two fingernails and worst of it all I was pointed towards the medic I wasn't offered a ride after I begged and pleaded for the young lady to please call for a ride because my young nephew was with me and the ground temperature on the ground had to be at least over 100° He was crying because his feet were so hot I had to walk to water again injured while she met me on the other side just to cool his feet off. There has to be someone in the Bahamas they can rectify this problem there's numerous injuries and someone will be eventually killed on this right people spend thousands of dollars when they come here not to be injured, but to enjoy themselves. I can understand 1 or 2 isolated injuries here and there but to continuously have people document serious injuries from this one RAPID water ride there has to be something done. If someone has had success with obtaining compensation and changes to this particular water ride ; please contact me or send me contact information because something has to be done before someone's child is killed or severely injured! There has to be help in the Bahamas for people like us if this was happening in the United States there will be agencies that you can contact to have this correct it is inhumane for this situation to continue. Sorry for the wording, but I'm in extreme pain unable to enjoy the rest of my vacation!

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    1. I am very sorry for your injuries, but I would not expect Atlatis to help you, they have not responded or helped me or many of the others that have been injured.

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    2. Just got back from Atlantis and I got flipped around on the leap of faith and scraped my knee and foot very badly on the bottom of the pool. I, too, was in need of medical attention (I'm a physician as well) but the lifeguard didn't even stop the ride. I couldn't stand, and once out of the water, there was blood pouring down my leg. Took about 10 min to get some first aid. I must say; foreign countries, even at high end resorts, just don't provide medical attention or have safety standards as we are used to here in the US. I saw a gentleman die at a 5 star resort in Mexico; we were told not to touch the guy instead of rendering aid but a nurse, PT and medic came to help him!

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  15. I believe I suffered whiplash in the Surge a couple of years ago. Very violent snapping back of my neck and terrible cracking sound. I believe it led to my ACDF 2 level neck surgery.

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  16. I just returned from Atlantis and while there I slipped on wet concrete steps (and I am always very cautious and hold handrails , ALWAYS). There are MANY places in the water park where the flooring is slippery. Some places they have "roughed up" but it is wearing off in most areas. I had to be taken by ambulance to the hospital for xrays and ultrasound to check for broken bones and internal injuries. It was a very traumatic fall. I was about to pass out and could not stand at all. they were helpful and concerned and got to me quickly, but I had to really reach out to them the next couple of days to strongly encourage them to FIX their areas where it is slick. Even one of the doctors at the hospital said that place is so dangerous and they do not address it properly to fix it. If you go PLEASE wear gripping swim shoes at all times. But really, I would not allow a small child in most areas. Most worker do not enforce safety enough. It is just the culture there. They are very laid back. People get hit from behind because they are letting people go down slides to quickly etc.. I am still in a tremendous amount of pain!

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  17. I just returned from Atlantis and while there I slipped on wet concrete steps (and I am always very cautious and hold handrails , ALWAYS). There are MANY places in the water park where the flooring is slippery. Some places they have "roughed up" but it is wearing off in most areas. I had to be taken by ambulance to the hospital for xrays and ultrasound to check for broken bones and internal injuries. It was a very traumatic fall. I was about to pass out and could not stand at all. they were helpful and concerned and got to me quickly, but I had to really reach out to them the next couple of days to strongly encourage them to FIX their areas where it is slick. Even one of the doctors at the hospital said that place is so dangerous and they do not address it properly to fix it. If you go PLEASE wear gripping swim shoes at all times. But really, I would not allow a small child in most areas. Most worker do not enforce safety enough. It is just the culture there. They are very laid back. People get hit from behind because they are letting people go down slides to quickly etc.. I am still in a tremendous amount of pain!

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  18. Which is the law firm which is handling your case? I sustained an injury also at Atlantis and was treated the Same in a wheel chair for a long time before I was seen by the nurse since then I have had 2 surgeries lost a toe and loss of work.

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  19. I am happy to find this post very useful for me, as it contains lot of information. I always prefer to read the quality content and this thing I found in you post. Thanks for sharing. Bahamas attorneys

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  20. I'm sorry about your injuries. My boyfriend and I were there last week. He was injured on one of the rides too! Head injury and scraped up shoulder. It ruined the rest of our trip. I'd like to talk with you. What's the best way to reach you? My email is stefanie@drstefaniekleine.com

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  21. My wife just got injured on the River Rapids ride today. She was injured when her tube collided with that of another person's in which case she hit the wall and flipped. She has some bad scarring in her legs, knees, and elbows. I would agree that the River Rapids ride needs to be evaluated for safety of the 'rapids' section.

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  22. Myself and grandson was injured on the river rapids Saturday June 1,2019. I'm a strong swimmer and certified diver. The raft we where on was flipped and our bodies slung into concrete wall on the other side of river, my grand son who is 12 injured his knee , Myself hit my head injured both elbows bleeding my right knee injured bleeding, my left foot bruised. I had head ache for two days. We almost drown I went down five times fifth time I thought it was the last. Trying to save my grandson over myself. the rapids kept pulling me under and it was like I was in a washing machine. Life guard did pick us up after fifth time I went under. It's been nine days now still trying to heal my right elbow and quite worried about it. I'm sore and stiff from my neck,shoulder and posterior Ribs. I was gasping for breath also having rapid heart beat from the accident. Life guard was not concern a bit and I was told I would have to walk to the nurse that was quite away. Being in the medical field I did take care of my own injuries in my room for I did not trust their cleaning and feared contamination in their facility. the next day I noticed at least three people with injuries. One man told my grandson that the tube came out from him the day before on the slide. People we need to start using our heads also. When we go to other countries their rules and regulations are not as ours. Life jackets should have been provided and enforced. I keep beating myself up telling myself you should Know better. Luckily my grandson and myself are alive by the grace of God !
    I will not take my children or grandchildren back to Atlantis!!!.It is not safe !!!

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  23. Hi
    I did exactly the same accident on the Atlantis rapid river in December 2018, the lifeguard there, said nothing ...
    the management will not change this
    I also received only 4 small bandaids and a sample of antibiotic ointment ...
    Could you contact me by email?
    veigasandralia@gmail.com
    I am in contact with a law firm and I want compensation for the accident.
    I have photos of my injuries and a hotel report copy ...

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  24. Hello,
    I was on "the drop" slide and I too was injured. I felt I exited the actual slide into the landing so fast that I shot across for some distance and the rapids flipped me over. Tried to break the fall but the water in that part was so shallow that I dislocated my shoulder and bruised my hip. My tube was no where in sight and the "lifeguard" pretty much didn't care that I had suffered the injuries and my knees and elbows were dripping blood.

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  25. I was injured on the rapid river on my first attempt. Got scraped up pretty good and got a big bump and bald spot on my head from being dragged on the rough pool floor.

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  26. I realize your post was from a long time ago! I was injured on the surge ride in 2016. My tailbone caught on something, seemed like a grate on the way down. I was swollen, purple, and in a lot of pain. I toughed through it. I didn't want to ruin everyone's vacation. A few years later I started having hip and shoulder pains that just kept coming back. I owned my own fitness studio at the time, so I was in great shape. It turns out...the jolt to my spine has caused scoliosis, degenerating discs in my L5 and neck...needless to say, I wish I was not quiet about it. This will affect me the rest of my life. I've had to close my studio, and am just trying to figure out how to function. It's a shame it happened, now I live with it. Good luck to you all in making a difference to change the dangers at this park so no one else get's hurt like this.

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