A woman has sued SeaWorld, claiming she suffered serious injuries during a collision on a waterslide during a June 2023 visit to Aquatica water park, seen here in 2008, in Orlando, Florida. (Phelan M. Ebenhack via AP)
A Florida woman has filed a lawsuit against SeaWorld after she claims she was injured when she was hit by someone on a waterslide.
Melissa Velazquez is suing SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment Inc., according to the lawsuit filed last week in Orange County's Ninth Judicial Circuit Court. The suit said Velazquez, of Vero Beach, was visiting Aquatica, a water park owned and operated by SeaWorld, on June 25, 2023.
Velazquez had just gone down the Walkabout Waters slide. As she stood up to walk away, another person came down the slide "violently colliding" into her, causing her to sustain "severe and permanent injuries," according to the lawsuit, first reported by Orlando Fox affiliate WOFL.
Her attorney Nicholas J. Spetsas noted that there was no lifeguard or employee at the slide monitoring traffic or overseeing people using it.
"At all times material, Defendant owed Plaintiff a duty to use reasonable care in maintaining its premises in a reasonably safe condition, including but not limited to properly staffing and supervising its water slides," the lawsuit said.
Spetsas argued that the water park was negligent and "allowed an unreasonably dangerous and defective condition to be created and/or to remain on its premises." SeaWorld also failed to properly train its employees, implement safety policies and monitor its waterslides, the lawsuit says.
The "dangerous conditions existed for a sufficient period of time such that a reasonable person, including the Defendant, knew or should have discovered and corrected or warned of risks and hazards and dangerous conditions," Spetsas argued. Velazquez suffered "permanent injury" and incurred the "expense of hospitalization, medical and nursing care and treatment, loss of ability to earn money, and loss of ability to lead and enjoy a normal life."
Velazquez is asking for at least $50,000.
SeaWorld did not immediately respond to an email from Law&Crime requesting comment.