Pamela Morrison, a 74-year-old grandmother from Arizona, was awarded $7.25 million in damages after suffering severe injuries while attempting to exit a ride at Universal Studios Hollywood’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
The incident, which occurred in 2022, left Morrison with a crushed spine and long-term mobility issues, significantly impacting her quality of life. The case has raised concerns about theme park safety regulations and the measures taken by amusement parks to prevent similar accidents in the future.
The Incident and Morrison’s Injuries
Pamela Morrison had been visiting the theme park with her grandson when she was asked to step off the ride due to a malfunction in her safety harness. While disembarking, she lost her footing on a moving walkway that continued to operate, causing her to fall onto solid ground. This fall resulted in a catastrophic fracture to her lower back and extensive muscle damage around her hip, according to court documents.
Describing the moment of her accident, Pamela Morrison stated, “The belt was still moving, and so my foot went on that belt, and then my other foot went onto the stationary floor, and it knocked me off my feet.”
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She was rushed to the hospital for immediate treatment, but the injuries had lasting consequences. Her ability to move independently was severely compromised, and even basic daily tasks, such as using the bathroom, required assistance. Her medical expenses accumulated rapidly due to the extent of her injuries and the necessary care required for her recovery.
Legal Battle and Jury Decision
Universal Studios Hollywood attempted to argue that Morrison was responsible for her fall. Their defense team cited surveillance footage that appeared to show her being distracted by her grandson. They claimed that she had not been paying attention to where she was stepping and had, therefore, caused her own injuries.
However, Morrison’s attorney, Taylor Kruse, successfully countered this argument by asserting that the park had failed in its duty of care. Kruse emphasized that stopping the moving walkway while Morrison exited the ride would have been a simple and reasonable action to prevent such an accident.
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Instead, Universal continued operating the ride at full capacity, prioritizing efficiency over safety. The park reportedly aimed to accommodate 1,800 riders per hour, a factor that Kruse argued played a role in their reluctance to pause the walkway.
The jury ultimately sided with Morrison, determining that Universal Studios Hollywood was liable for the accident and awarding her a total of $7.25 million in damages. This amount included $250,000 for economic damages, $2 million for past non-economic damages related to pain and suffering, and an additional $5 million for future non-economic damages.
Implications for Theme Park Safety
Pamela Morrison’s case has sparked broader discussions regarding the safety measures implemented in amusement parks across the United States. The lawsuit questioned whether theme parks adequately prioritize visitor safety, especially for older guests and those with mobility challenges.
During the trial, Ban Choi, a safety expert from the Institute of Risk & Safety Analyses, provided critical testimony. He explained that moving walkways inherently pose a risk due to their impact on a person’s gait stability.
According to Choi, stepping onto or off a moving walkway can disrupt a person’s balance, making falls more likely, especially when transitioning to stationary ground.
“Entering and exiting a moving walkway perturbs the gait stability of the walkers, even when entering/exiting in the longitudinal direction of the moving walkway,” Choi stated. “Given that Plaintiff Pamela Morrison was walking in the lateral direction of the moving walkway while feeling rushed to get off the moving walkway, her gait instability would have been greater.”
This expert analysis reinforced the argument that Universal Studios Hollywood could have prevented the accident by stopping the moving walkway, particularly for a guest who was already experiencing difficulty due to her failed safety harness.
Pamela Morrison’s case has also drawn attention to the broader statistics on amusement park safety. According to a 2023 report from the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA), the chances of sustaining a serious injury on a fixed-site amusement park ride are approximately 1 in 15.5 million.
While these odds suggest that severe injuries are rare, Morrison’s experience highlights that when accidents do occur, they can have life-altering consequences.
Compared to the risk of automobile accidents—where the U.S. Department of Transportation reported around 40,990 fatalities in 2023—theme park injuries may seem minimal. However, critics argue that parks must still take every possible precaution to ensure guest safety, as even isolated incidents like Morrison’s can lead to devastating outcomes.
In response to the case, safety advocates have called for amusement parks to reassess their ride operation procedures, especially when it comes to moving walkways and exit strategies.
Some have suggested that parks should implement stricter protocols for guests with mobility issues, such as offering additional staff assistance or automatically stopping moving platforms when necessary.
Universal Studios Hollywood has not publicly commented on whether it will change its safety protocols following the ruling. However, the case sets a significant precedent, demonstrating that theme parks can be held accountable for failing to take reasonable precautions to protect their visitors.
Morrison’s legal victory serves as a reminder that while amusement parks are designed for entertainment and excitement, safety should never be compromised in the pursuit of operational efficiency.
Her case will likely influence future safety regulations and operational guidelines for amusement parks, potentially leading to changes that prevent similar accidents from occurring in the future.
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