A Florida jury awarded $310 million to the family of Tyre Sampson, a 14-year-old who fell to his death from a drop ride at ICON Park in Orlando in 2022.
Sampson, who exceeded the ride’s weight limit by 94 lbs, fell 98 feet from the ride, which lacked seat belts. The jury found Austrian manufacturer Funtime Handels GMBH negligent, attributing the tragedy to safety failures.
The manufacturer did not attend the trial, and the damages will be split between Sampson’s parents, who filed the lawsuit shortly after the incident.
Sampson’s death prompted significant safety reforms in Florida, including the Tyre Sampson Act, signed into law in 2023, mandating stricter safety measures for tall amusement rides.
The family had previously settled with the ride’s owner and ICON Park for an undisclosed amount.
Lawyer Ben Crump called the verdict a step toward holding corporations accountable, while Tyre’s uncle remembered him as an intelligent and kind young man whose tragic loss has spurred industry-wide change.
Silly them
In an age of neglected or deferred maintenance due to hyper-inflation, lack of ride customers, and the attempts to save money by putting repairs and maintenance off for longer periods of time, , someone will either get hurt, mained or killed on these County Fair / Ag Day / Gypsy-Camp rides.
He got on the ride knowing he was 100lbs over the weight limit?
Unbelievable right? What’s the bet the moneys gone in 5 years time.
To fat to strap in properly, own fault.