The case, Kalos v. Cedar Fair Southwest, Inc. d/b/a Carowinds, 2026 WL 1802679, concerned whether an independent contractor ride inspector could bring a claim against the owner of an amusement park when he inspected one of the amusement park rides and was injured during the inspection.  The contracted inspection was for a visual inspection but the independent contractor, as trained by his employer, touched the wire ropes as part of the inspection and was injured in the process.  Applying South Carolina law, both the district court and the Fourth Circuit found that there was no legally recognized duty owed by the landowner to the independent contractor.  Both courts also found that there was no evidence that the sustained injuries were proximately caused by the defendants’ conduct.