A Brazilian boy’s leg was recently crushed while riding the E.T.
attraction at Universal Orlando, according to a lawsuit filed in late
January in Orange Circuit Court.
Located at Universal Studios Florida, the “E.T. Adventure”
is a slow-moving attraction, which takes guests on a tour through the
story of the famous Steven Spielberg motion picture,
E.T. The
Orlando Sentinel is reporting that the boy in question, 11-year-old Tiago Perez, got his
left foot stuck between the right vehicle and the cement area riders step
off of at the end of the ride. In what has been described as a bloody
scene, the boy’s left foot was crushed and his shoe fell off, resulting
in multiple broken bones in his toes, foot, and leg.
The boy’s mother, Roberta Perez, filed a lawsuit on Jan. 31st, seeking upwards of $15,000 in damages. “Prior to this incident,
[Universal] had knowledge that the design, manufacture, testing, construction,
and/or operation of the ‘E.T. Adventure’ ride, created an
unreasonably dangerous ride resulting in injuries to guests, but [Universal]
continued to market the ride as safe to the unsuspecting public,”
the suit claims. The lawsuit also notes that Tiago and his mother did
not speak English, so they would not have been able to read the ride’s
warning signs.
“E.T. Adventure” is one of the oldest attractions at Universal
Studios Florida, and has been a feature at the park since it opened in
1990. The ride gives park attendees the chance to fly with E.T. on bicycles,
recreating one of the most iconic scenes from the film it is based on.
Video shows that Tiago’s feet were not on the pedals of the bike,
but safely inside the ride vehicle at the time of the incident. The Sentinel
is reporting that the ride underwent additional safety checks on the Monday
following Tiago’s accident, with employees stopping the attraction
and checking to make that riders’ arms and legs were secure in the car.
Reports from Brazil indicate that Tiago, who is being treated by an orthopedic
surgeon, still has not returned to school in the weeks since his injury.
An active child who enjoyed playing soccer, his family remains extremely
worried about his health and well-being in the future.
This is not the first time a child has been injured on “E.T. Adventure.”
In March of 2002, Universal reported that a 13-year-old boy’s right
foot had been hurt.
When Amusement Park Accidents Occur, We Will Be There
E.T. might have had to phone home, but when you or a loved one are injured
on an amusement park ride, you should make sure to phone a lawyer. At
Paulsen Law Group, our
Dunedin amusement park injury attorneys have been advocating for the people of Florida for years. We have extensive
experience in
premises liability and
personal injury matters, and have the knowledge and skills needed to secure maximum compensation
in your case. Don’t allow theme parks get away with what happened
to Tiago. Call Paulsen Law Group today to hold negligent parties accountable.
For a free consultation, call (727) 270-8260, or
contact us online.