A federal jury has granted Pamela Morrison, a 74-year-old Arizona woman, $7.25 million in damages after she was severely hurt while leaving the “Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey” attraction at Universal Studios Hollywood. The accident, which happened in September 2022, has come under scrutiny concerning the safety standards of theme park rides, particularly for older riders.
Incident Details
While visiting the theme park with her grandson, Morrison tried to get on the popular “Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey” ride. However, because of a malfunction, her safety harness did not strap properly. Because of this, she was asked by ride operators to leave the vehicle. As she stepped off the moving walkway onto firm ground, Morrison slipped and fell, resulting in a compression fracture of the spine and extensive muscle tears around her hip. These injuries have greatly affected her mobility and overall quality of life.
Legal Proceedings
Morrison sued Universal Studios Hollywood for negligence in the maintenance and operation of the ride. Her lawyer, Taylor Kruse, contended that park employees did not adhere to proper safety procedures when they did not make the moving walkway stop in order for passengers to exit safely. Kruse underscored that it would have taken only seconds to stop the walkway and could have avoided the incident.
He wrote, “It would have cost them four seconds to stop it, but instead they would rather keep the ride going at all costs, to get through its quota of 1,800 riders an hour.”
In its defense, the legal team for Universal Studios argued that Morrison was not looking where she was going, being more intent on her grandson than on watching her step. They implied that inattention may have been the main cause of the fall.
Jury Verdict
Following a three-day trial, the jury deliberated four hours before delivering a unanimous verdict in favor of Morrison. The $7.25 million award is broken down into $250,000 for future medical care. The sizeable award demonstrates the jury’s acknowledgment of the devastating effect the injuries have had on Morrison’s life.
Implications and Previous Incidents
This incident is a sign of the sheer need for strong safety mechanisms in theme park attractions, particularly those that have moving parts like walkways. The assurance that every guest, including kids, can board and leave safely is paramount. The ruling could prompt Universal Studios and other theme parks to reevaluate and harden their safety protocols in a bid to prevent such incidents in the future.
More significantly, this is not the first time that the “Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey” ride has made headlines. In April 2022, four riders sued Universal Studios after alleging that they became stuck on the ride when it experienced a forced stop, suspending them mid-air at an angle. The riders alleged that they suffered serious injuries and required extensive medical treatment, including surgery.
Universal Studios’ Response
To date, Universal Studios Hollywood has not yet issued a comment regarding the verdict handed down just recently. How theme parks go about dealing with safety issues, as well as handling such claims, will be affected by this case’s result.
