Kennywood Ride Gave Man Eye-Eating Parasite, Lawsuit Claims

The lawsuit, filed this week by Robert and Krystsina Trostle of Squirrel Hill, alleges that while Robert Trostle was on the ride in July, he was splashed in the left eye with water containing the microsporidia parasite. Over the next few days, his eye became inflamed and painful, and he subsequently was diagnosed with microsporidia keratitis.

The lawsuit contends that the parasite could not be entirely removed and that Trostle still suffers from blurry vision, redness, itchiness, pain and inflammation.

The lawsuit states that while the Trostles were in line for the ride, they noticed that the Raging Rapids was "dirty, stagnant and sludge-like." It alleges that Kennywood didn't properly maintain the ride and its filtration system.

‘The lawsuit states that while the Trostles were in line for the ride, they noticed that the Raging Rapids was “dirty, stagnant and sludge-like.”’

Then it would seem they bear at least partial responsibility for choosing to get on the ride any way after they noticed its unsafe condition, no?

I would think that, unless they can find an actual sample of the water from the park, and show it has the parasites, that this would be a hard lawsuit to win.

I’d also expect that they’d have to show that normal procedures expected of the park for maintenance would have detected the parasite, and that the normal filtration would have removed the parasite.

They’d also probably have to show that the parasite is something listed as harmful.

They knew about the disease a couple of days after the park visit, so they should have had the opportunity to try to collect the evidence they needed, although it’s also possible any such contamination would have been cleaned up.

Of course, the biggest obstacle they will have is that, if Pa is like most states, there is a state law granting nearly blanket immunity to theme parks for any injuries. States like the tax revenue they get from these parks, and the parks would not be able to operate if they were held responsible for everybody they injured or killed.

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