Florida man sues Walt Disney World over "permanent catastrophic injuries" from water park ride
A Florida man is suing Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, alleging he sustained "permanent catastrophic injuries" after riding a water park slide in Walt Disney World Resort in 2021.
Eugene Strickland is seeking $50,000 in damages against the theme park giant in a lawsuit filed May 29 in Orange County, Florida. Those damages stem from physical and mental injuries Strickland claims he suffered while riding on the Downhill Double Dipper (DDD) at Disney's Blizzard Beach water park on July 31, 2021.
Strickland, who weighed 334 pounds at the time of the incident — 34 pounds above the water ride's allowable weight limit — alleges in the lawsuit that he was dislodged from his Disney inner tube, as a result of the ride's "exhilarating speeds," a reference to the ride's description on the Disney World website.
"Disappear into a black hole and plummet 50 feet downhill at exhilarating speeds," a description of the high-speed water ride on the park website reads. "Hurtle through darkness, then emerge just in time for the big splashdown."
After becoming separated from his inner tube, Strickland landed forcefully on the slide's plastic surface, causing him to sustain "serious bodily injury," such as "disability, scarring, disfigurement," the lawsuit states. Other alleged injuries include "mental anguish" and the "loss of capacity for the enjoyment of life."
Strickland claims the theme park is at fault for his injures, stating in his lawsuit that Disney had a "duty to warn him of dangerous conditions at the DDD high-speed water slide premises."
Disney did not immediately respond to CBS MoneyWatch's request for comment.
Strickland is seeking legal damages and a trial by jury.
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