Posted on 03/27/2013 8:27:48 AM PDT by Huntress
A wheelchair-bound man was awarded $8,000 by Disneyland after the "It's A Small World" ride broke, stranding him for a half hour while the theme song played continuously, according to an attorney for the plaintiff.
Jose Martinez, who suffers from panic attacks and high blood pressure, did not medically stabilize for three hours after the ride broke down in 2009, attorney David Geffen said.
"He has panic disorder and that was really what started everything rolling," Geffen said. "What caused the court concern, as well, because Disney was alerted about his panic problem and didn't call for the fire department right away."
Disneyland spokeswoman Suzi Brown said the Anaheim theme park believes it provided appropriate assistance during the incident, and is disappointed that the court did not fully agree.
Martinez uses a wheelchair, and Geffen said the plaintiff's high blood pressure was aggravated by a need to urinate while he was stuck on the ride.
While the other riders were able to get off, Martinez was stuck until he could access his wheelchair.
Half the award ordered last week is for pain and suffering, and the rest is for a violation of disability law, Geffen said.
Brown told NBC4 the violation concerning the height of the counter in Disneyland’s first aid station has been corrected.
Heck, I’d develop the disorder after being stranded for that long!
I know I haven’t; and it’s been about fifty years.
Horrible, atheist, depressing Disney tune. It’s like torture.
Panic attacks suck .
3 hrs stuck with the song continuously playing?
New method for interrogations at Gitmo, I’d say
Now that #($%*#( song is stuck in my head and I'll have to dig it out with a screwdriver.
Just reading the title to that song sends me into repeat mode in my head
We visited DW last December. I swear that 10% of the visiting population is on motorized scooters. They make the shuttle bus loop take forever as they have to be boarded on, jockeyed into place, strapped down, etc.
what the hell is a wheelchair bound man with a panic disorder doing on a carnival ride????????????????? have people lost their ever loving minds
Now sue the victim for being an irresponsible idiot by getting on the ride in the first place knowing he had a panic disorder.
and he has to pee on top of it all, judas priest, people are pathetic
“It’s A Small World” was Disney’s main attraction at the 1964/1965 Worlds Fair in Flushing (Queens) NY. My parents took 8mm home movies when we visited that Fair, no sound though. Still remember home movies of that ride.
We are talking a ~ 45 year old ride
I’d like a lot more information like:
How much does the lawyer get? 30%? That’s what, $2400?
How much did he sue for? Had to be at least six figures.
How big was the settlement they turned down?
Disney can say they are disappointed but it looks like they came out of this just fine, other than paying lawyers fees.
This guy is no different from a pnahandler.
Couldn’t have happened to a better set of politically correct bastards. Too bad it was only $8,000.
Maybe if he was gay and black as well as Hispanic and disabled, he might have gotten more money.
Article says an hour and a half.
No one could survive three.
I was there. Except for that ride it was a pretty cool trip.
Allow me to help you.
“Yo ho, YO ho, a pirate’s life for meeee...”
It was only 30 minutes!
I’ve been trapped there that long!
Long enough to learn all the harmony parts to the song!
It’s a small pay-off, after all
Geez at least he didnt get trapped and come close to being flamebroiled like we did at the Mummy ride in Universal
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