Disney sued after woman suffered brain damage on waterslide: court documents
Video above: Disney water slide caused ‘painful wedgie and injury,’ lawsuit claims
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A Florida woman is suing Disney after falling unconscious on a Typhoon Lagoon waterslide, alleging the company negligently failed to warn her that there were no lifeguards at the bottom.
Represented by Morgan & Morgan, Laura Reyes-Merino seeks over $50,000 in damages after she fell unconscious on the Humunga Kowabunga slide on May 11.
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She lost consciousness while “banging” inside the tube surrounding the waterslide, according to the complaint.
“Plaintiff’s fiancé and his mother discovered (Reyes Merino’s) limp body at the end of the ride and frantically asked the attendants to help,” the lawsuit said. “The attendants told (Reyes-Merino’s) fiancé and mother that they were not lifeguards and would have to find lifeguards to help.”
Reyes-Merino’s family stated that she was drowning with blood coming out of her mouth and her fiancé had to pull her out of the water when lifeguards said they were not allowed to touch her.
“Had (Disney) had lifeguards at the end of the ride to watch and help guests coming off the ride, Plaintiff s brain injury would not have occurred as she wouldn’t have been drowning in the water coughing up blood,” the lawsuit said.
The complaint stated that if Disney warned Reyes-Merino that there were no lifeguards at the bottom of the Typhoon Lagoon rides, she would not have ridden them. Her attorney claimed she suffered serious physical, mental and emotional consequences after the incident.
The lawsuit, filed in Orange County, demands judgement for damages and a trial by jury.
Humunga Kowabunga is described as the “fastest, steepest waterslide” at the Disney water park. The company was sued over another incident involving the slide in 2023, when a woman claimed she suffered “painful wedgie and injury” while riding the slide.
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