California Injury Lawyers Blog

In a recent Anaheim injury accident at Disney's California Adventure, a 20-year-old man received medical care after he fell 25 feet from a platform while in line to ride The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. According to a Disney spokesperson, the man climbed over a barrier and lost his balance. Following the incident, Disney shut down the ride while paramedics provided the injured parkgoer with medical care.

Amusement Park Accidents
Like other premise owners, amusement park owners must ensure there are no hazards on the property that can cause serious injuries or deaths to visitors. This means making sure that the attractions are safe for parkgoers to ride and that safety precautions have been put in place to prevent slip and fall accidents, fall accidents, violent crimes, and other injury accidents from happening.

Injury accidents that occur on amusement park rides can prove catastrophic. Just recently, a 12-year-old suffered serious injuries on a freefall ride at Extreme World in Wisconsin on July 30. Teagan Marti fell 10 stories to the ground when the harness that was holding her released her.

Ride operator Charles Carnell has said that he "blanked out" and took off the girl's harness before the safety nets could catch her. He is charged with first degree reckless injury. Doctors say that Marti may be paralyzed.

Some other recent amusement park accidents:
• A 45-year-old woman and 36-year-old man experienced back pain after riding the Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit coaster at Universal Studios Florida.

• A 54-year-old man had a heart attack and a 74-year-old man became ill after riding the Expedition Everest in Disney's Animal Kingdom.

• A 68-year-old woman who rode Spaceship Earth at Epcot experienced chest pain.

• A 27-year-old man became ill after getting on the Mission: Space at Epcot Center

• A 65-year-old man experienced chest pain and a 72-year-old woman had a seizure after riding Kilimanjaro Safaris at Disney World's Animal Kingdom.

• A 61-year-old woman broke her arm and a 68-year-old woman broke her hip when exiting the Mad Tea Party in the Magic Kingdom at Disney World.

A woman is also suing Walt Disney Parks and Resorts for the injuries and post-traumatic stress she says that she suffered Disney employee dressed as Donald Duck grabbed one of her breasts and molested her at Epcot Center in 2008. She is seeking damages for negligence, battery, and infliction of emotional distress.

Disney, Universal report amusement park accident, Orlando Sentinel, August 30, 2010

Man falls 25 feet from ride line at Disney park, CNN, August 20, 2010

Park "Repairs" at Crime Scene Where Girl Fell, CBS News, August 20, 2010

Delaware County woman claims Donald Duck groped her, Philly.com, August 12, 2010

Related Web Resources:
RideAccidents.com

AccidentWatch, Theme Park Insider

Continue reading "Anaheim Fall Accident Injures Man Waiting in Line At Disney's California Adventure Park" »

The state of California has approved a $20 million payout for Jaycee Dugard and her two daughters. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed the California injury settlement on Friday.

Dugard, now 30, was just 11 when she was abducted in 1991 by Phillip Garrido, who held her hostage in his backyard compound until last August. She bore him two daughters, who are now ages 15 and 12.

Police have said that Dugard was raped, kidnapped and held captive by Garrido. His wife, Nancy is awaiting trial for kidnapping and other charges. Both have pleaded not guilty.

Phillip Garrido was already a convicted sex offender for a 1976 rape crime prior to abducting Dugard. California's inspector general has criticized the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation for failing to properly monitor Garrido. Also, the California attorney general's office has alleged that state parole agents may have interacted with Dugard and her older daughter but did not follow up on her relationship with Garrido.

Last February, Dugard and her family filed a California personal injury claim against the Department of Corrections. Over the years, the agency missed opportunities that might have allowed them to locate her sooner. The Dugards contend that they suffered physical, psychological, and emotional harm from being held captive for nearly twenty years.

The California attorney general's office has said that the "the uniquely tragic circumstances" surrounding the Dugard case justifies the $20 million settlement. Dugard and her two girls will likely require millions of dollars in therapy and at least $450,000 to educate all three of them.

Report Says California Parole Agents Spoke with Jaycee Dugard in Captivity, FoxNews, July 7, 2010

Jaycee Dugard to get $20 million in settlement, SFGate, July 2, 2010

Kidnap Victim Wins Settlement, NY Times, July 1, 2010

Related Web Resource:
Timeline and Map, Jaycee Dugard Case, San Jose Mercury News

A Mexican national has filed a Los Angeles County sex abuse lawsuit seeking damages for the molestation he allegedly suffered at the hands of Father Nicolas Aguilar Rivera. Although allegations of sex abuse have followed Aguilar since the 80's, he was only defrocked last July.

The victim claims the alleged sex abuse incidents happened in the late 1980's. He is accusing Los Angeles Archbishop Cardinal Roger Mahoney and Mexico City Cardinal Norberto Rivera Carrera of covering up the alleged sex acts committed by Aguilar Rivera in an attempt to protect the Catholic Church from scandal. Rivera Carrera had asked Mahoney to place Aguilar Rivera in an LA ministry following an incident in Mexico involving boys who were beaten as punishment during an overnight stay in the Diocese of Tehuacan rectory.

Within nine months of arriving in the US, LA police had 26 reports of sex abuse involving the Mexican priest. Aguilar River may have abused up to 60 boys in Mexico.

The plaintiff is just one of a number of people to seek Los Angeles personal injury compensation for Aguilar Rivera's alleged sex abuse crimes and the church's failure to protect the victims and stop the priest from continuing to molest more people. Now age 25, the plaintiff is the first person known to employ the Alien Tort Claims Act of 1789 to seek a jury trial and request compensation for crimes that were committed abroad.

The Aguilar Rivera is currently a fugitive in Mexico.

Los Angeles Sex Abuse Lawsuits
It is mind-boggling to think of the number of people that have been the victims of clergy sex abuse over the years. For the hundreds of people that have stepped forward to seek personal injury compensation and/or tell their story, there are hundreds more that have chosen to remain silent or have yet to remember what happened to them.

Sexual abuse or assault of any kind is a violent crime that is punishable under law. The plaintiff may also be able to seek Los Angeles injury compensation for physical, emotional, and mental injuries, and other damages.

Mexican man who says he was raped by priest files lawsuit naming Mahony, Mexican cardinal, Los Angeles Times, April 20, 2010

Attorneys Sue LA, Mexico City Cardinal Over Abuse, Associated Press, NY Times, April 20, 2010

Related Web Resources:
Archdiocese of Los Angeles

Alien Tort Claims Act, Global Policy Forum