Knott's Berry Farm Being Sued 2016

[TTD03]

A family is suing Knott???s Berry Farm after they say their 10-year-old son was injured on one of the park???s roller coasters.

The Burrei family says the terrifying accident on the Coast Rider unfolded when Carson???s leg became trapped between the cart and the deck.

Carson was with his family from Utah when he says he stepped out on the platform of the entry level ride because he thought it was over.

???I thought it was done because the ride had stopped,??? he said. ???And then when I went to hop out, it moved forward again.???

The force of the motion, the family alleges, ripped the skin off his foot, fractured it and tore his tendons, causing significant nerve damage.

???When we started screaming, ???Stop the ride, Stop the ride??? that???s when they stopped,??? said Tara Burrei, Carson???s mother, who explained that her son screamed in agony.

She claims the Knott???s Berry Farm staff did nothing to help. In June of 2014, Carson spent four days in the hospital and three months in a wheelchair, the family says.

He underwent surgery, skin grafts and physical therapy, and according to his family still can???t feel part of his foot almost two years later.

His mother says the medical bills are in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. The amusement park, she says, offered only a teddy bear.

???They haven???t even apologized, ???I???m sorry you went through this, I???m sorry that you guys had to go through this trauma.??? No apology. Almost as if they don???t care,??? she said.

The Burrei family is now suing Knott???s Berry Farm. According to their attorney, a similar injury happened two months earlier to another child.

A report by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration found no fault, and that the ride was in working order.

Since Carson???s accident, Brian Kabateck says Knott???s has admitted to making major repairs to the ride.

???These major repairs apparently took care of the problem, so why didn???t they think of that in the first place,??? he said.

In a statement released to CBS2/KCAL9, Knott???s Berry Farm spokesman Jason Soyster said, ???Knott???s Berry Farm can???t comment on legal matters, and our thoughts are with Carson for a full and speedy recovery. The safety of our guests and employees remains Knott???s top priority.???

Credit CBSLA

Sue happy Californians strike again.

surely the safety bars wouldn't unlock until the train was in the correct position?

[Coasterkidmwm]

Manic Monte wrote:

Sue happy Californians strike again.

It says "vacationing from Utah". Don't exit when you're not supposed to like a dumbass

Oh God, Utah? Even worse lol

How is it that this happened in 2014 at my local park and I haven't heard about it yet (or about the similar injury mentioned)? With news stories about routine lift hill stops across the country I'm shocked something like this would slip by.

Anyway, Knott's has always been pretty good on Coast Rider about telling guests to remain seated (both through signs and operators) as the ride often stops short of the unload point. The bars don't even unlock until two cars are parked at the correct position, so unless there was a major malfunction I'm really surprised this happened. If there was a fault on the park's side, then I guess this is legitimate, but you shouldn't be able to sue simply for your own stupidity.

[Mikey]

It's amazing how they always wait until the statue of limitations is about up and then rush to the court house.

Um, yeah, i see where the park has some responsibility in the incident, primarily letting stupid people into the park, but, i feel most of the responsibility lies with the family and child for not adhering to the safety instructions provided on the signs and by the ride ops. And mikey, i agree. If it was such a huge problem, why is it taking so long to come to litigation.