Woman Sues After Suffering Serious Injuries Due to Waterslide Accident
What is the worst thing that could happen on a waterslide? You could fall or the structure could collapse, but these are catastrophic “never events” that are easily preventable as long as someone with even a freshman level knowledge of engineering reviewed the blueprints before the waterslide was built or inspected it afterward. The water on waterslides and at the pools at the bottom is shallow, so it is not possible to drown unless an accident traps you in a face-down position. Even though theme park waterslides are designed and constructed with enough caution to prevent these catastrophic events, serious injuries on waterslides are more common than you might imagine. People suffer bone fractures and lacerations if they collide with the side of the slide. Serious injuries can also result if staff members incorrectly time when each guest begins sliding down the slide, and guests can collide with each other on the slide or at the bottom. No one would guess, however, that a waterslide malfunction could cause a guest’s own swimsuit could cause injuries severe enough to require hospitalization. If you got injured on a waterslide or other theme park ride, contact a Jacksonville premises liability lawyer.
Guest Injured at Typhoon Lagoon Files Premises Liability Lawsuit
In October 2019, Emma McGuinness traveled to Orlando with her family to celebrate her 30th birthday. One of the theme parks they visited was Typhoon Lagoon, a water theme park which is part of Walt Disney World. McGuiness rode Humunga Kowabunga, a 214-foot waterslide where riders achieve speeds of up to 40 miles per hour. Guests do not use rafts or inner tubes on the ride, and the park does not provide protective clothing such as the tank suits worn by divers. It only prohibits guests from wearing goggles, shoes, or flotation devices on the ride, and it has height and weight restrictions. Staff members instruct guests to cross their ankles when riding, in order to achieve a streamlined body shape.
McGuinness crossed her ankles when she began sliding, but at some point she became airborne because of the high speed of the ride, and her ankles probably became uncrossed. The water at the bottom of the slide was not flowing as it should have been, so instead of gently moving through the pool at the bottom, she came to an abrupt stop. The impact caused her swimsuit to lacerate her genitals and water to be forced into her bodily orifices. At the hospital, she was diagnosed with injury to her intestines and reproductive organs. McGuiness is suing the Disney theme parks for premises liability and requesting damages of at least $50,000. She filed the lawsuit in Orange County Florida, since the courts of the county where the accident happened have jurisdiction.
Contact Douglas & Douglas About Premises Liability Cases
A North Florida personal injury lawyer can help you if you were injured in a preventable accident on a waterslide or other attraction at a water theme park. Contact Douglas & Douglas in Jacksonville, Florida for a free consultation.
Source:
npr.org/2023/10/05/1203732797/disney-world-water-slide-lawsuit-wedgie
