Woman sues Disney after sustaining brain injury, ‘coughing up blood’ on Typhoon Lagoon ride, lawsuit says

A woman is suing Walt Disney Parks after she allegedly sustained a brain injury that left her unconscious and “coughing up blood” on a Typhoon Lagoon ride, according to a lawsuit filed in Orange County.

Laura Reyes-Merino visited the park May 11, according to the lawsuit, and tubed down the 214-foot, 60-degree enclosed waterslide Humunga Kowabunga. She went unconscious after “banging” inside the ride, according to court documents.

Reyes-Merino’s fiancé and his mother found her limp body at the end of the ride and asked attendants for help. Attendants told them they had to wait for lifeguards to arrive. Once a lifeguard came, they said they could not touch Reyes-Merino and called an ambulance, the lawsuit alleges. 

According to the lawsuit, the plaintiffs are claiming that “had lifeguards at the end of the ride to watch and help guests coming off the ride, [Reyes-Merino’s] brain injury would not have occurred as she wouldn’t have been drowning in the water coughing up blood.”

The suit claims she sustained disability, physical impairment, disfigurement, mental anguish, loss of ability to lead a normal life and loss of capacity for the enjoyment of life.

Reyes-Merino is suing Disney Parks for a minimum $50,000 in damages.

Disney World’s website says Humunga Kowabunga features “a near-vertical, five-story drop — in the dark!”

Just last fall, a park goer sued Disney over bodily injuries sustained while riding the Humunga Kowabunga.

Emma McGuinness suffered an “injurious wedgie” and “severe and permanent bodily injury” after going airborne while riding the waterslide, according to a lawsuit filed in October. Her impact into the standing water caused internal organ damage and severe vaginal lacerations, the lawsuit said.

Humunga Kowabunga does not provide a raft or tube to riders, and according to McGuinness’s suit, riders reach speeds of nearly 40 miles per hour.

Subscribe to Orlando Weekly newsletters.

Follow us: Apple News | Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Or sign up for our RSS Feed

This article appears in May 29 – Jun 4, 2024.