An Orange County jury last month awarded the parents of a young Missouri teen $310 million in damages after the teen fell several hundred feet to his death from the Free Fall ride at an Orlando amusement park.
The Ninth Judicial Circuit jury handed down the verdict on Dec. 5 in the wrongful death case of 14-year-old Tyre Sampson, who fell from the ride at Icon Park in March 2022. Jurors awarded each of the teen’s parents, Nekia Dodd and Yarnell Sampson, $30 million for past pain and suffering plus medical or funeral expenses and $125 million for future pain and suffering related to Tyre’s death, according to the text of the jury verdict.
The family was represented by civil rights and personal-injury attorney Ben Crump and attorney Natalie Jackson.
“This verdict is a step forward in holding corporations accountable for the safety of their products,” the two attorneys said in a statement. “The jury’s decision confirms what we have long argued: Tyre’s death was the result of blatant negligence and a failure to prioritize safety over profits. The ride’s manufacturers neglected their duty to protect passengers, and (the Dec. 5) outcome ensures they face the consequences of those decisions.”
Crump and Jackson also expressed hope that the large jury award would lead the amusement industry to implement stronger safety measures to prevent such tragedies from happening again.
But an actual payout may be difficult to secure because the manufacturer of the tower attraction, Funtime, is based in Austria. The Icon Park amusement park previously settled with the family for damages, but the litigation against Funtime only concluded last month. The family would require action by an Austrian court to enforce the judgment.
“We are vigorously pursuing all avenues to collect all damages due to these grieving parents,” the plaintiffs’ legal team said in a statement emailed to the Florida Record.
State officials ordered the amusement ride closed after the teen’s death, according to CNN, and the Orlando Free Fall was subsequently torn down.
The plaintiffs’ attorneys indicated in their third amended complaint that the ride lacked adequate restraints to keep riders safely in their seats.
“The Free Fall ride is the world’s tallest free-standing drop tower standing at 430 feet,” the lawsuit said. “Once the ride reaches the top, it tilts forward 30 degrees and free-falls several hundred feet at speeds of more than 75 miles per hour. Upon coming to a stop, the riders experience a g-force of around 4. To put this into perspective, the g-force experienced by astronauts during shuttle take-off is 3.”
The ride was equipped with shoulder harnesses for riders, but it lacked seatbelts, according to the complaint. Installing seat belts on the ride would have cost about $660, the plaintiffs’ attorneys said.
Tyre, a middle-schooler, weighed 380 pounds and was 6 feet 2 inches tall, the lawsuit says. No weight or height restrictions were imposed on those purchasing tickets for Free Fall, according to the complaint.
The Austrian manufacturer of the ride did not take part in the jury trial, in which plaintiffs’ attorneys alleged that Funtime failed to foresee the defective design of the amusement and was therefore negligent and liable for Tyre’s death.