Jury awards $300 million payout to family of teen killed during Orlando trip
A Florida jury has ordered an amusement ride manufacturer to pay $310m (£243m) to the family of a teenage boy who died after falling from a drop ride at an Orlando theme park in 2022.
Ty Sampson’s weight was 43 kilograms (94 lb) over the ride’s 129 kg limit when he fell 30 meters (98 ft) from the ride without a seat belt.
Lawyers for his family argued that his death was the result of safety failures and negligence on the part of the ride operators and manufacturer.
The Austrian manufacturer, Funtime Handels GmbH, did not send a representative to the court and had no attorney listed in court records.
Tyer, 14, was visiting the ICON theme park in Orlando with his American football team during spring break.
After falling from the ride, she was taken to a nearby children’s hospital where she died from her injuries.
In awarding compensation this week, the jury said the amount was for “pain and suffering resulting from the injury and death of Tyree Sampson”.
The family’s attorney, Ben Crump, said, “Tyre’s death was the result of gross negligence and a failure to prioritize safety over profits.”
The damages have been divided equally between Tyre’s mother and father, who filed the civil suit in March 2022, a month after their son’s death.
Last year, he settled for an undisclosed amount with two other defendants, the ride’s owner, Eagle Drop Slingshot, and ICON Park, where it operated.
At the time, Tyer’s uncle Carl Sampson described him as a “really good kid” and “very intelligent”.
His death has prompted safety reforms in Florida, home to many of the country’s most famous amusement parks.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed the Tyree Simpson Act into law in May 2023.
It tightens safety standards for theme park rides, including mandatory seat belts and harnesses for any ride taller than 100 feet (30 m).
“This decision is a step toward holding corporations accountable for the safety of their products,” Mr. Crump said Thursday.
