Lagoon sued over injuries to paraplegic man on Wicked roller coaster
Sep 5, 2021, 4:19 PM | Updated: Sep 6, 2021, 7:11 pm
FILE: Wicked, which opened at Lagoon in 2007, features both lap and leg restraints for its riders. Photo by Kristin Nichols / Deseret News.
FARMINGTON, Utah — A Utah man who says he suffered injuries on the Wicked roller coaster at Lagoon Amusement Park filed a lawsuit seeking to recoup medical costs and damages.
Injuries blamed on improper restraint on Wicked at Lagoon
Matthew Christensen, who is a paraplegic, went to Lagoon with his family in October 2020. According to the lawsuit, while Christensen used a wheelchair to navigate Lagoon, his family helped him onto Wicked. However, a park attendant secured his lap and leg restraints.
The suit alleges the attendant failed to properly secure Christensen’s right leg in the restraint; Christensen did not notice the problem because of his paraplegia. His attorneys claim that caused serious injury as his car returned to the platform at the end of the ride, where the gap between the cars and the platform narrows to less than 2 inches.
“Matt’s right foot became caught in the gap between the coast car and the platform,” the suit alleges. “Caught in the less-than two-inch space between the stationary platform and the moving car, Matt’s foot was shredded.”
His attorneys say Christensen suffered fractures in his leg, foot, and toes, as well as “an irreparably shredded ligament in his big toe.” They argue Lagoon should have ensured he was properly secured in his seat before the ride began.
Christensen says insurance wont pay medical bills because Lagoon should
Response from Lagoon officials
A spokesman for Lagoon said officials continue to investigate what happened to cause Christensen’s injuries on Wicked and have not yet seen the lawsuit. As a result, they declined to comment.
Attorney’s response
According to KSL TV’s Matt Rascon, lawyers for Christensen say they sent legal papers to Lagoon’s attorney twice last week.
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