P.I. Pulse: Tourist Loses Fingers on Disney “Pirate” Ride

An accident at Disney World in Orlando last Thursday resulted in a tourist losing two of his fingertips. As our personal injury lawyers know, people visit Disney World to have a relaxing, amusing time – not to have two of their fingers mutilated on a ride that they’ve paid to enjoy.

While in the olden days pirates would sometimes have their finger(s) cut off as punishment for misbehaving aboard the ship, the Pirates of the Caribbean ride on which the unfortunate tourist was injured should have done more to remove that aspect of pirate life from the amusement park attraction. Indeed, the operator of the amusement park did warn the guests aboard the ride to keep their fingers inside the cart, but the tourist neglected to do so; as such, he had two of his fingers sliced off.

This image of a man losing two fingers in an amusement park ride is cringe-worthy, but it is important in that it brings to light the issue of responsibility for amusement park injuries. Clearly, the amusement park – Disney World – had a duty to protect the safety of those who visited the park, including those who strolled down the sidewalks, those who ate at the restaurants and, of course, those who rode the available rides. To that end, as is customary at amusement parks all over the country and all over the world, the ride operator instructed people to keep their hands, feet, head, etc., inside the confines of the cart on or in which they were sitting, as to avoid a catastrophic injury such as the one experienced by the British tourist.

Still, might this man have a legal personal injury claim against the park for the injuries he sustained? Perhaps. You see, only an investigation will reveal the true cause of the injury. If it is determined that the man’s fingers were thrust outward due to a steep drop on the ride, negligence in design of the ride might be revealed. If, say, his fingers were sliced off by a piece of metal that was dangling loose from a part of the ride, that might be evidence of negligence in maintaining the ride and following proper safety procedures. There are many possible scenarios in which the man losing his two fingers was not simply the product of his not following directions.

Our experienced personal injury lawyers at the Law Offices of Aronberg & Aronberg know that when you are suffering from an injury, the last thing you want to worry about is how you will afford medical bills and how you will continue to work. What if this British man were a plumber, or a painter, or an auto mechanic – or a hand model? If he were employed in any of these or any similar professions, his livelihood (and that of his family) would be truly jeopardized due to the loss of two fingers.

If you or someone you love has sustained an injury at an amusement park or fair, please contact our Palm Beach and Broward personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Aronberg & Aronberg. To schedule a free, legal, confidential consultation, please call 561-266-9191 or e-mail daronberg@build.simple.biz.

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