The 66-year-old disabled woman was laughed at by Disneyland workers before she fell off the Jungle Cruise and died five months later from septic shock.as stated in the lawsuit against the amusement park, according to the New York Post.
Joanna Aguilar’s family files wrongful death lawsuit fall in Ventura County, California, and was appointed as a judge earlier this month.
The defendants in the lawsuit named the Walt Disney Company, its theme park division and Disneyland.
According to a complaint received by the New York Post, Aguilar visited Anaheim Amusement Park on August 21, 2021 with her two adult daughters, Zenobia Hernandez and Andrea Maullul.
The family purchased a wheelchair from the park for Aguilar, who was recovering from a knee injury at the time.
When the women entered the Jungle Cruise attraction, staff told Aguilar that there was no wheelchair accessible boat at the time.
The ride has a boat that allows disabled visitors to board the ride without leaving their wheelchairs, but Aguilar chose to ride the standard boat with the help of his daughters.
At the end of the ride, park workers allegedly placed “small loose blocks” at the top of the boat steps to reduce the height of each step, but Aguilar had difficulty lifting them.
According to the complaint, instead of helping the family, Disneyland actors began to “chuckle” at the woman’s difficulty getting off the boat. leaving her confused and humiliated.
The lawsuit alleges that Aguilar “felt inhuman” in the situation.
A federal wrongful death and Americans with Disabilities Act violation lawsuit alleges that Disneyland workers laughed at Aguilar before he fell.
A few moments later Aguilar lost his balance on the stairs, fell backwards and broke his right hip. I would spend the next 10 days in the hospital before transfer to a rehabilitation center.
The woman remained at a facility in Oxnard, California for five months before she contracted an infection there, suffered septic shock, and died on January 29, 2022.
According to the lawsuit, heA woman has died as a result of injuries sustained in a fall at Disneyland. Federal Complaint Alleges Wrongful Death and Rape Americans with Disabilities Act.
Disney’s lawyers denied all allegations and demanded that the lawsuit be dismissed.
The Aguilar family is seeking unspecified damages for physical pain, mental anguish and humiliation, as well as all medical, funeral and attorney fees.
“My clients went to Disneyland hoping to create happy memories for a lifetime, and instead they were left with memories of a lack of dignity and respect for their mother, which ultimately led to her eventual death,” he said. .
In court documents, Disney denied all allegations, saying the company was not at fault for Aguilar’s injuries and that the woman and her daughters were aware of the risks involved in visiting the theme park.