A lady who claims to have hurt herself while riding the Thunderbolt, a classic wooden rollercoaster, is suing Kennywood, the amusement park in Mifflin, Pennsylvania, for carelessness.
According to the complaint, the mother and her child went to Kennywood on July 23, 2022, and rode the roller coaster. She had ridden it several times previously without any problems.
When her last ride began, the woman said she was violently thrown to the side of the car. Prior, everything was running well.
As the woman rode, she allegedly had constant aches in her chest, left side, and ribs, according to the lawsuit. Breathing was difficult.
A malfunctioning seat belt or restraining bar was the source of the woman’s injuries, she informed the ride operator. A number of injuries were detailed in the case, including bruising and contusions to the chest, injuries to the lower back and spine, injuries to the left arm, hand, and side, injuries to the leg, irritations to nerve roots, a herniated disc, worsening of pre-existing back issues, reduced mobility, and more.
According to the complaint, the woman’s injuries have persisted to this day, and she is still receiving therapy for them. She asserted that the Thunderbolt was in poor repair and that the employees at Kennywood neglected to ensure that the seat belt was secured correctly, which may have prevented harmful movements.
Her claim, filed on Thursday in Allegheny County Common Pleas Court, states that upon the ride’s conclusion, Williams claimed to have informed the operator of her injury, which she attributed to a malfunctioning seat belt or restraining bar. She was taken to Kennywood’s in-house medical center when the operator requested a wheelchair.
Williams states that she was hurt in several places, including her lower back and spine, as well as her nerve roots, and that she was also emotionally and physically distressed.
After first opening in 1924, The Thunderbolt (previously known as The Pippin) celebrates 50 years in 2018. After undergoing renovations in 1968, the rollercoaster was redesigned to reach a maximum height of 70 feet and a speed of 55 mph. The coaster was temporarily halted in June 2022 for maintenance and returned about a month later.
