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Lawsuit alleges Disneyland employees laughed at disabled woman before she fell while getting off ride, later died
KTLA ^ | 01/19/2023 | Cindy Von Quednow

Posted on 01/19/2023 1:11:56 PM PST by BenLurkin

Aguilar visited the Anaheim park with her two adult daughters on Aug. 22, 2021. When they arrived at the Jungle Cruise attraction, Aguilar, who was physically disabled, was told by employees that a wheelchair-accessible boat was unavailable, the Register reported.

While the attraction does have a ADA-accessible boat that allows disabled visitors to board without getting out of their wheelchair, Aguilar opted to ride another boat with the assistance of her daughters.

After the ride ended, Aguilar’s daughters helped her off the boat. Instead of assisting, the lawsuit alleges cast members laughed at Aguilar’s struggles...

Aguilar ended up losing her balance on blocks placed on the steps, fell back and fractured her right femur. She was taken to a hospital where she remained for 10 days before moving to an Oxnard rehabilitation center.

Aguilar stayed there for five months before she got an infection, went into septic shock and died on Jan. 29, 2022, according to the lawsuit.

(Excerpt) Read more at ktla.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy
KEYWORDS: disabled; disney; disneyland; lawsuit
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1 posted on 01/19/2023 1:11:56 PM PST by BenLurkin
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To: BenLurkin

That’s an uplifting story…


2 posted on 01/19/2023 1:15:39 PM PST by EEGator
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To: BenLurkin

More here...

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11654579/Disneyland-lawsuit-Family-says-Jungle-Cruise-employees-laughed-disabled-woman-fatal-fall.html

Note to KTLA: I can see why you chose not to use a pic of Ms. Aguilar.


3 posted on 01/19/2023 1:18:24 PM PST by mewzilla (We will never restore the republic if we don't first secure the ballot box.)
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To: BenLurkin

Sad story but I don’t know how you sue people for laughing. It was rude and disgusting but hardly a lawsuit.


4 posted on 01/19/2023 1:19:55 PM PST by dforest (Joy Behar is a big mouth cow.)
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To: dforest

The family is likely hoping for a quick settlement.

Since we don’t have loser pays, what will it cost them to try?


5 posted on 01/19/2023 1:21:39 PM PST by mewzilla (We will never restore the republic if we don't first secure the ballot box.)
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To: BenLurkin

Disneyland: the happiest place on earth.


6 posted on 01/19/2023 1:22:51 PM PST by ScottinVA
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To: BenLurkin

More on why one should hate Disney:

More
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The Jungle Cruse attraction at Disneyland is seen in on May 21, 2022. (KTLA)
The Jungle Cruse attraction at Disneyland is seen in on May 21, 2022. (KTLA)

LOCAL NEWS
Lawsuit alleges Disneyland employees laughed at disabled woman before she fell while getting off ride, later died
by: Cindy Von Quednow

Posted: Jan 19, 2023 / 11:42 AM PST

Updated: Jan 19, 2023 / 12:39 PM PST

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A wrongful death lawsuit filed against Disneyland alleges park employees laughed at a 66-year-old disabled woman before she fell while getting off the Jungle Cruise ride in 2021 and later died, the Orange County Register reported.

The lawsuit was filed by the family of Joanne Aguilar, of Ventura County, against the Walt Disney company, its theme park division and Disneyland. It was assigned to a federal judge in Santa Ana on Jan. 5, the newspaper reported.

Aguilar visited the Anaheim park with her two adult daughters on Aug. 22, 2021. When they arrived at the Jungle Cruise attraction, Aguilar, who was physically disabled, was told by employees that a wheelchair-accessible boat was unavailable, the Register reported.

While the attraction does have a ADA-accessible boat that allows disabled visitors to board without getting out of their wheelchair, Aguilar opted to ride another boat with the assistance of her daughters.

After the ride ended, Aguilar’s daughters helped her off the boat. Instead of assisting, the lawsuit alleges cast members laughed at Aguilar’s struggles, leaving her feeling ashamed and embarrassed.

Aguilar ended up losing her balance on blocks placed on the steps, fell back and fractured her right femur. She was taken to a hospital where she remained for 10 days before moving to an Oxnard rehabilitation center.

Aguilar stayed there for five months before she got an infection, went into septic shock and died on Jan. 29, 2022, according to the lawsuit.

The suit alleges Aguilar died as a result of her injuries from the fall at the park.

Her family sued Disneyland on Nov. 18 for wrongful death and violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

In a written response to the newspaper, Disney lawyers said Aguilar’s injuries were caused by her own conduct and negligence, and that Disneyland did not discriminate against her.


7 posted on 01/19/2023 1:23:33 PM PST by robowombat ( )
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To: BenLurkin

From the above it sounds like she chose to go on the boat that was not handicap accessible?


8 posted on 01/19/2023 1:23:58 PM PST by Raycpa
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To: BenLurkin
Aguilar stayed there for five months before she got an infection

5 months of rehab for broken femur sounds like something else was going on.

9 posted on 01/19/2023 1:25:27 PM PST by Raycpa
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To: BenLurkin
Did Disney use the "It's a small world after all" defence?

Just remember "It's a cold cruel world".
10 posted on 01/19/2023 1:26:52 PM PST by Waverunner
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To: BenLurkin

I have volunteered in a nursing home. Once someone falls we were instructed to wait until a nurse came. Also, trying to catch an overweight person that is falling is very dangerous.


11 posted on 01/19/2023 1:27:41 PM PST by Raycpa
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To: Raycpa

Actually not as unusual as you would think for a large person who has weight bearing issues. And especially if they are over medicated for pain. Then their rehab becomes a bad cycle of pain, drugs, pain,drugs, and people die in nursing homes and hospitals.


12 posted on 01/19/2023 1:29:28 PM PST by Waverunner
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To: dforest
Sad story but I don’t know how you sue people for laughing. It was rude and disgusting but hardly a lawsuit.

How? Well, she might get an "OJ jury", one that doesn't pay the slightest bit of attention to the facts. That's how.

I'd have to see video of course, but I wouldn't be too surprised to find out that they were laughing with her, not at her. I'm 72 and not as spry as I used to be so I might laugh at myself for struggling to do things that were once easy.

13 posted on 01/19/2023 1:30:02 PM PST by libertylover (Our biggest problem, by far, is that almost all of big media is AGENDA-DRIVEN, not-truth driven.)
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To: mewzilla

She was not “disabled”, she was grotesquely obese.


14 posted on 01/19/2023 1:30:36 PM PST by SauronOfMordor (The rot of all principle begins with a single compromise.)
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To: BenLurkin

Rides are for kids, she should go to epcot and eat and drink.


15 posted on 01/19/2023 1:30:39 PM PST by 1Old Pro
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To: EEGator
Mickey Mouse is NOT a mean bastard.
And that woman was NOT obese.
Well, maybe she was...

/sarc


16 posted on 01/19/2023 1:38:45 PM PST by GaltAdonis
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To: GaltAdonis

Is it really a “middle finger” when you only have four?


17 posted on 01/19/2023 2:10:21 PM PST by Rinnwald
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To: robowombat

I despise Disney but if this story is as it says. I don’t see this as a liability on their part.

The lady should have sat down and waited on a handicapped boat or declined. I imagine if the attendants had told these people that the Mom could not ride unless there was an available boat, they would have been sued for not caring about the handicapped.

I have to say that I feel bad for her family because she looked like a nice woman. That said, this lawsuit looks like an attempt to get their hands on some money.


18 posted on 01/19/2023 2:22:13 PM PST by dforest (Joy Behar is a big mouth cow.)
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To: mewzilla

There is a good case here to not settle since the mother died months later. As long as they don’t get too greedy Disney might settle.


19 posted on 01/19/2023 2:31:34 PM PST by dforest (Joy Behar is a big mouth cow.)
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To: mewzilla

Even the daily mail picture leaves one wondering where in the 200-500 pound range she fell.


20 posted on 01/19/2023 2:31:52 PM PST by Hieronymus
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