Universal Studios Orlando Injury and Accident Settlements (and Claims)
Justin Ziegler, Lawyer
Wondering how to turn an unfortunate accident at Universal Studios Florida into a successful injury claim?
You’ve found the perfect guide! Here, I’ll take you through an fast, step-by-step process to handle your injury claim, even if it seems tricky at first.
I recently handled a case where someone got hurt at Universal Studios, and guess what? They didn’t just get a settlement; they got a surprisingly large amount from the contractor, not the park!
It was much bigger than they ever imagined.
Ready to unlock the secrets to increasing your odds at a huge settlement?
This guide is full of insider tips that make the whole process simpler and more rewarding. Let’s start your journey to turning an unfortunate incident hopefully into a success story!
I’ve collected a bunch of frequently asked questions. Please review them carefully before handling a claim against Universal Studios.
Will Universal Studios pay your medical bills if you’re hurt in an accident?
Yes, but only if Universal Studios did something to cause your injury. This is known as negligence.
For example, let’s say that you slip and fall at Universal Studios. You have no idea why you fell. You didn’t see a substance on the floor. Additionally, the floor was not unreasonably slippery. In this instance, Universal Studios will not pay your medical bills. And they should not.
On the other hand, let’s say that you slip and fall on water in a restaurant in Universal Studios Orlando. Universal’s employee admits that she knew that the water was on the floor before your fall. In this case, Universal’s claims adjuster will pay your medical bills. However, Universal will only pay medical bills that are related to the fall.
Will Universal Studios pay for your lost wages if you are injured there?
Yes, but only if Universal’s negligence caused you to incur lost wages. You’ll need to send Universal’s claims adjuster a wage and salary verification form. If you hire a Universal Studios injury lawyer, he or she already has this form. Your attorney can pre-fill the form for you. You can then give it to your employer to complete it.
The form lists your average weekly wage for the 13 weeks before you were hurt at Universal Studios.
Will Universal Studios pay for your pain and suffering if you are hurt there?
If Universal was negligent, pain and suffering will likely be the biggest part of any settlement.
Will Universal Studios pay your ambulance bills?
Yes, but only if Universal Studios did something to cause your injury. If you took an ambulance to the hospital, the ambulance company may be AMR. You (or your attorney) can request medical records and the bill from AMR. AMR’s billing department phone number is 877-244-4890.
Don’t expect Universal to quickly pay the ambulance bill.
Why not?
Because Universal Studios likely doesn’t have medical payments coverage. Medical payments coverage is also known as Medpay. Medpay pays medical bills regardless of fault.
Most large businesses do not carry it. For example, I’ve never heard of a huge company having Medpay coverage. By huge companies I’m referring to companies like Walt Disney World, Walmart, Publix Supermarket and Target.
Therefore, the injured person will likely need to show that Universal Orlando was negligent in order to get his or her ambulance bills paid. If the injured person has health insurance, it should pay the ambulance bill. If health insurance pays the ambulance bill, the health insurer may be entitled to get paid from the settlement.
Likewise, if your travel insurance should cover the ambulance bills. Many foreigners who visit Universal Studios Orlando have travel insurance. Unfortunately, travel insurance often delays payment.
Should you take photos of a hazard that caused your injury at Universal Studios?
Yes, you want to take photos and video immediately. Take photos and video before Universal fixes the dangerous condition.
If you trip and fall at Universal Studios, you can use pennies or quarters to measure the height of any change in elevation. Then, take a photo that shows this.
Photos and videos can help in several ways. For starters, when you speak with an injury attorney, he or she will quickly be able to see if you have a case. You want to be able to show the Universal Studios’ claims adjuster (or a jury) the exact dangerous condition that caused your injury.
Why do you want photos or video of the hazard?
Because a guest must show that Universal Studios was negligent in order to get compensation. Simply getting injured on Universal Studios property isn’t enough.
Should you ask Universal Studios to preserve evidence if you get into an accident?
Yes, if you believe that Universal’s negligence caused your injury. This request should be in writing and delivered quickly to Universal. Be sure to get delivery confirmation. You can have the request delivered by a process server or certified mail. A process server costs about $45.00.
If you hire a Universal Studios injury lawyer, he or she will pay for the process server. If your lawyer ultimately settles your case against Universal, costs are repaid to the lawyer after he or she takes a fee.
Will Universal Studios settle with you if you were partly at fault?
Maybe. If you can show that Universal’s negligence caused your injury, you may get a payout even if you were partly at fault. Let’s assume that you were 51% at fault in your accident at Universal Studios in Florida. In this instance, you can still recover compensation.
However, the full settlement value of your case is reduced by your percentage of fault. Therefore, if you were 60% at fault, Universal Studios only owes you 40% of the full value of your case.
Should you hire a lawyer who is not licensed in Florida for a Universal Studios Orlando case?
No. It’s a huge mistake to hire a lawyer who is not licensed in the state where the Universal Studios (where you were hurt) is located. For example, assume that you’re injured at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida. In this instance, you should hire a lawyer who is licensed in Florida.
Why?
Because Florida lawyers are the only attorneys who can legally handle your Universal Studios claim if the accident happened in Florida. In other words, it is illegal for an attorney who isn’t licensed in Florida to make a claim against Universal Studios in Florida. Basically, it’s against the law.
If an attorney does not know Florida’s laws, you should be concerned. Worse yet, if an attorney is willing to break the law just to make a fee, you should run the other way. You may just be seeing the tip of the iceberg of problems that you may encounter. What is to prevent that attorney from stealing from you? Or charging you for illegal costs? If they don’t know Florida’s laws, they won’t know costs for which they are not allowed to charge you.
Moreover, attorneys who are not licensed in Florida cannot sue Universal Studios Orlando. This means that they can talk tough to Universal’s claims department. But it’s just talk. You want someone who can sue (if need be).
The one exception is that you may be able to can hire a lawyer in the state where you live. However, I advise against that.
Why?
Because only a Florida attorney can sue in Florida. Having a Florida who can legally sue adds leverage to your case. While there is no guarantee, it may get Universal to offer more money than if you use an out of state lawyer.
How do you know if your lawyer is licensed in Florida?
Unfortunately, some attorneys advertise as a Universal Studios Injury Lawyer (in Florida) even though they are not licensed in Florida. This should be a big red flag to not hire these attorneys. Since these lawyers aren’t licensed in Florida, they cannot legally handle the claim.
If they represent you, they are committed the unlicensed practice of law. You don’t want that. Injury claims can be stressful enough even if you have a Florida lawyer.
When you hire an attorney, you’re investing your time. During the course of your case, you will likely speak with and send several emails to the attorney. The last thing that you want is to later find out that Universal’s claims adjuster won’t make your lawyer a settlement offer because he or she isn’t licensed in Florida.
Guest Wins $27,500 Settlement for Injury at Universal Studios Florida Theme Park
Florence was at Universal Studios Florida, having a fun day with her grandkids. They were all excited to be there. But something unexpected happened.
While walking, Florence’s foot unexpectedly caught on a raised edge of a ground covering – a seemingly minor detail with major consequences.
In an instant, she was on the ground, her lip bleeding, her grandkids watching in alarm. The joy of the day was overshadowed by pain and worry.
Do you see anything wrong with the covering?
Let’s take a closer look:
Unfortunately, part of the covering was poking up.
They had to go to a hospital nearby. The doctor had to put stitches on Florence’s lip.
Florence was worried about how much this would cost and was sad because her trip with her grandkids was ruined.
Figuring Out Who’s Responsible: From Universal Studios to the Big Insurance Company
Florence wanted to get some money for what happened to her. They said another company put the covering on the ground that made her fall.
We notified Universal of the claim, and asked them to give us their insurance information. Helmsman Management Services handled the claim for Universal.
After a long delay, Helmsman told us that Universal hired Edlen Electrical who installed the allegedly dangerous covering that she tripped on. So Universal passed the buck to that company because their contract with that company said they could.
Basically, they told us to go after Edlen. I then filed a claim with Edlen. Liberty Mutual insured them. They fought us at every turn.
After constantly prodding them, Liberty Mutual finally made us a ridiculously low offer.
But I didn’t give up. I fought back. We got a $27,500 with that company.
After my lawyer fees, costs and paying Florence’s medical bills, she got over $18,000 in her pocket.
The best part?
She was really pleased with this outcome. Despite the initial mishap, her experience ultimately had a positive ending because we were there to support and help her through the process, which took some time but was worth it.
Can Universal Afford to Pay Huge Personal Injury Claims?
NBC Universal’s theme parks make billions of dollars in sales yearly. In other words, Universal isn’t small potatoes.
What does this mean for an injured guest?
It means that Universal can afford to pay even the biggest injury claim.
Which Properties Make Up Universal Orlando Resort?
Universal Studios Florida®
Universal’s Islands of Adventure®
The Pharos Lighthouse marks the entrance to Islands of Adventure
Universal CityWalk®
Entrance sign to CityWalk from the parking garage
The last Universal Resort Orlando property is Wet ‘n Wild Waterpark.
It is my opinion that slip or trip and fall accidents are the most common cause of guests’ injuries at all of these properties.
This is because slip, trip and falls are the most common injuries at any premises.
Do You Have a Case if You’re Injured at Universal Orlando?
Whether you have a case against Universal Studios in Florida may depend on over 87 factors. Often times, I’m contacted by injured guests who briefly describe an accident and injury at Universal. They immediately ask me if they have a case. Sometimes, they want to know if I can represent them against Universal Studios.
Other times, the injured guest wants to know if they should just accept whatever amount of money Universal offers them.
Determining whether an injured person has a case sometimes cannot be answered immediately. I usually have many questions to ask the injured person.
Here are just a few questions that I may ask to a guest who is injured while at Universal Orlando:
What did Universal observe to be wrong with the dangerous condition after the accident?
Did Universal admit that they knew that something was wrong with the hazard before the accident?
Has Universal had similar issues with the dangerous condition before this guest’s accident?
Those are just a few questions that help an attorney decide if the injured guest has a case.
How Much is the Attorney’s Fee to Take On a Universal Studios Injury Case?
Attorney’s can only charge a 33-1/3% fee if after a lawsuit, Universal and all defendants admit liability at the time of filing their answer and just request a trial on damages. However, don’t get too excited.
In most cases, Universal will likely deny liability. I say this because not every injury that occurs at a theme park is due to negligence. In fact, most injuries that guests have are likely not due to Universal’s negligence. This includes slip and falls, and trip and falls.
If an attorney sues Universal Studios, and Universal denies liability, then the injured person’s attorney’s fee increases to 40%. If your attorney sues, this is the most likely scenario.
What’s the best part about attorney’s fees for the injured guest?
Anyone injured at Universal Studios should quickly take photos of your injury. This is true even if hospital staff took photos of your injury. Don’t rely on the fact that Orlando Health, or Dr. Phillips Hospital, took photos of your injury.
This brings up a couple of results of people whose attorneys have filed civil remedy notices in Florida. Basically, these attorneys are claiming that Universal’s claims company has failed to fairly pay them for their injury claims. You’ll also get to see Universal Studios’ responses to the claims.
In Universal Studio’s most recent response to a civil remedy notice, Chubb Insurance says that Helmsman Management Services, a division of Liberty Mutual, is the third party administrator for Comcast NBCUniversal (NBCUniversal) regarding their General liability claims.
General liability claims include slip and fall accidents, trip and falls, and any claims by guests against Universal Studios.
Simply put, this means that Helmsman Management Services handles Universal Studio’s personal injury claims in Florida. Helmsman is a member of Liberty Mutual Insurance.
Universal is likely self-insured up to a certain amount. I say this because huge companies often self insure up to a certain amount.
Simply click the image above.
If You’re Hurt While Visiting Universal Orlando from Another Country, Do You Have a Case?
Yes, if Universal did something wrong to cause your injuries.
Many international visitors, especially Latin American visitors from Brazil and Mexico, go to Universal Studios in Orlando. Those Latin American visitors will be happy to hear that my paralegal is fluent in Spanish. Additionally, I (the injury attorney) speak some Spanish as well.
The good news if an international visitor is injured at Universal Orlando?
A foreigner’s health or travel insurance may pay 100% of his or her medical bills for treatment in Florida. The tourist should ask Universal to pay him or her for this amount.
The travel or health insurance may have a right to be paid from any injury settlement. This is often called a “lien”.
After the tourist gets a settlement, he or she may be able to negotiate this lien down. If he or she hires an attorney, part of the lawyer’s job is to negotiate this lien down. This can put more money in the tourist’s pocket.
Court Dismissed Guest’s Lawsuit from Stepping on Metal Rim (Universal Studios)
This isn’t my case. Taylor was at Universal Studios (Orlando). Taylor was injured when she partially stepped on the edge of one of a row of tree planters running the length of Hollywood Boulevard.
Hollywood Boulevard is one of the two main streets for guests to move through the theme park. The sidewalk surface at this location is terrazzo. The metal rim runs around the cut-out for the planter.
The planter is approximately six feet in diameter. Planted in the middle is a Washington palm and around the base of the palm is some shrub-like foliage.
Taylor stepped on the edge of the planter, her foot lost traction and she twisted and injured her knee. She claimed that she saw both the tree and the planter before her fall.
Fall down cases are much tougher if the injured person saw the hazard before the fall. When making a settlement offer to Universal, the injured person should take this fact into account. Most often, this will require the injured person accept less than the full value of the case.
She also said that she was not looking where she was going at the time she fell.
The court said that the obstacle represented by the six-foot diameter planter with the palm tree in the middle and the planting all around represents a glaringly open and obvious obstacle. The court said that anyone walking either on the walkway or the street should see it.
According to at Orange County court records in 2018, Universal gets sued about two to four times each month. When searching for Universal Orlando lawsuits, you must use Universal’s legal name.
It is Universal City Development Partners, Ltd.
Most lawsuits against Universal are for personal injury claims. The most common injury claim is a slip and fall.
What is the Best Possible Case Against Universal Orlando?
Below are some injuries on rides that Universal Studios reported. However, these reports are not a determination that either the guest or the owner/operator is responsible for the occurrence.
Will Universal Studios Pay Your Hospital and Doctors’ Bills?
If an ambulance took you from Universal Orlando to the hospital, it may have taken you to Dr. P. Phillips Hospital. That hospital has orthopedic doctors who can perform emergency surgery.
The injured person will likely need to show that Universal Orlando was negligent in order to get his or her hospital bill paid.
Past Settlements and Verdicts Against Universal Studios Orlando (Florida)
This isn’t my case. This was a personal injury lawsuit with pedestrian and a vehicle. According to Universal Studios’ law firm, they used a recently created statutory defense.
The case went to trial in Miami-Dade County Circuit Court in Miami, Florida.
This means that the judge ruled in Universal’s favor before the jury decided the outcome.
This jury did not award the claimant any money. This is the limited information that I have. It was not my case.
My thoughts: I do not know why the case went to trial in South Florida. You typically have to sue Universal in Orlando, Florida. Universal is in Orlando, which is in Central Florida.
Who is the Best Universal Studios Accident Lawyer?
If you’re talking about an attorney for an injury claim against Universal, the answer is simple. There is no best Universal Studios injury lawyer.
Why not?
This is because Florida lawyers are not ethically allowed to say that they are best. Florida Bar rules prevent lawyers from saying that they are the best lawyer.
If a Child Is Hurt at Universal Studios, Is the Case Different than an Adult’s Claim?
Yes, if the child has a bad injury. When I say bad injury, I’m referring to a claim that has a settlement value of over $15,000. This is because if a minor’s case settles for over $15,000, the settlement with Universal Studios will (at a minimum) need to be approved by a court. Florida Statute 744.301/744.387.
Fee for Approval of Settlement (Orange County, Florida)
The court’s $231.00 fee is for cases where the minor’s net settlement with Universal Studios is for $15,000 or less. A child’s “net settlement” is the remaining amount after attorneys fees, costs and guardian attorney fees (if any).
If you hire a Florida personal injury lawyer, he or she can likely give you the name of a guardianship lawyer. This guardianship lawyer should be able to get court approval (if a lawsuit against Disney hasn’t been filed).
The good news for the injured child’s parent?
The guardianship lawyer won’t require any upfront payment. He or she will be paid from the child’s settlement after the injury lawyer is paid. If the injured child’s parent wants to hire a guardianship lawyer, the parent will have to sign an agreement with the guardianship lawyer.
What injuries to a child will most likely require court approval of a settlement with Universal Studios?
If you look at past Florida jury verdicts, you’ll see that some injuries to a child consistently have a full value of pain and suffering of over $15,000. I’m referring to Florida jury verdicts in general, not verdicts against Universal Studios.
What Happens if a Structured Settlement is Needed, and the Injured Child Lives in A Different Country?
A foreign tourist’s child may get seriously injured at Universal Studios Orlando. (Some foreign tourists refer to themselves as non-US citizens.)
The good news?
Again, if the net settlement (after attorney’s fees, costs, bills, etc.) from a Universal Studios injury case to the child is above $15,000, then a structured settlement needs to get set up. A structured settlement is a negotiated arrangement through which a child’s parent (or his or her lawyer) agrees to settle a personal injury claim in exchange for the minor receiving part or all of a settlement after the child turns 18 years old.
A structured settlement can still get setup for a foreign tourist’s child. However, the structured settlement payments have to flow to a bank that is located in the United States (US) with a branch in the country of the tourist’s residence.
This is so the injured child can starting getting the payments when he or she becomes 18 years old. The United States (US) life companies (who issue annuities) will not mail a check to a foreign country. One example of a bank that is located in the US and has a branch in another country is Barclays. Of course, there are many others.
The injured child’s parent has the option of using their own structured settlement broker to arrange terms that are favorable to the injured child. If the injured child’s parent (or his or her attorney) reaches a settlement Universal Studios, that broker will work with Universal Studios’ structured settlement broker to reach a fair structured settlement.
A Universal Studios’ injury attorney can suggest a structured settlement broker that has the child’s best interest in mind. This is another advantage of hiring a Universal Studios accident lawyer, instead of going up against Universal Studios alone.
Universal CityWalk Injury Claims and Settlements
Where can you get injured at Universal Orlando?
Universal City Walk has dining, entertainment and shopping. You may have a personal injury claim against one of these locations.
Accidents While Dining at Universal Studios
Did a Universal City Walk restaurant cause your injury in Orlando?
Universal Orlando does not necessarily own the restaurants at CityWalk. The injured victim should send a notice of an injury claim to the actual restaurant address as well as the licensee address.
Some of the restaurants at Universal CityWalk® are:
The Cowfish Sushi Burger Bar®
Vivo Italian Kitchen
Antojitos Authentic Mexican Food
Hot Do Hall of Fame®
Red Oven Pizza Bakery
Emerils® Restaurant Orlando
Jimmy Buffet’s® Margaritaville®
Hard Rock Cafe®
Bob Marley – A Tribute to Freedom
Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.
Pat O’Briens®
NBA City
Restaurant accident cases are similar to most premises injury cases. One additional theory of liability in a restaurant accident case is that the staff was tracking grease onto the floor. Restaurant kitchens are greasy.
Top of the Walk Food Court
Some of the restaurants on the upper level of Universal CityWalk® are:
Bread Box Handcrafted Sandwiches
menchies frozen yogurt
BK Whopper Bar
Moes southwest grill
Panda Express Gourmet Chinese Food
Fusion Bistro Sushi & Sake Bar
Quick Service Dining Options
Cold Stone Creamery
Starbucks® Coffee
Cinnabon®
Fat Tuesday
Lone Palm Airport
Of the above listed restaurants and shops, some of the larger chains may have a self-insured retention (SIR) up to a certain amount.
In that case, a third party administrator such as Gallagher Bassett Services Inc., Sedgwick Claims Inc., ESIS Inc., Broadspire Services Inc., Crawford Co. will handle the accident claim.
If you can prove negligence, you may have a case to get money for your medical bills, lost wages, pain, suffering, mental anguish and more.
Entertainment at CityWalk
Universal CityWalk has many entertainment options. They include:
Blue Man Group
mini-golf at Hollywood Drive-In Golf™
movies at the AMC® Cineplex 20 with IMAX®
CityWalk’s Rising Star
The Groove
If the Groove’s carelessness caused your injury, whether you were intoxicated may come into play. The same is true if you were injured anywhere where alcohol was served.
In Florida, if the claimant’s normal faculties were impaired or the claimant had a blood or breath alcohol level of 0.08 percent or higher intoxicated, and as a result he or she was more than 50% negligent for causing an accident, he or she cannot legally recover damages. Fla. Stat. 768.36.
How do I notify Universal Orlando Resort of an injury?
You can send written notice of a claim to:
How do I notify Universal Orlando Resort of an injury?
If Universal Resort Orlando caused a serious injury, do NOT speak with Universal (or Helmsman Management Services) without an attorney.
You should also report the accident to the location where you were injured. For example, if you were hurt at a Universal Studios hotel, send a notice of the claim to the hotel.
It can be disastrous for a personal injury claim. Universal’s third party claims adjusters are seasoned professionals who are much more experienced at handling claims than you. The less money that they pay you, the more money that they save Universal Studios.
Halloween Horror Nights Injury Claims (Orlando)
Halloween Horror Nights is open from September through November. Parts of Universal Studios are open for Halloween Horror Nights that may not be open to guests on other nights.
Since it is a time limited event, the injured person should be sure to quickly take photos and video of the accident scene. Otherwise, you may forever lose access to securing this valuable evidence.
Slip and fall accident claims that occur during Halloween Horror Nights may be easier than slip and falls that occur during the daytime at Universal Studios. This is because at night it is often harder to see hazards on the ground.
Helmsman may put more fault of Universal Studios if you slip or trip and fall on a dangerous condition at night.
That said, slip and falls, and trip and falls, are difficult cases.
Will Universal Orlando Travel Insurance Cover My Injury?
Maybe. You may have booked a trip through Universal Park & Resorts Vacation. They are the official travel company of the Universal Orlando Resort.
If you purchased this optional travel insurance, it covers up to $15,000 in emergency medical and dental expense. They will assist you in the advancement of funds or guarantee payments (up to the Policy limit) to a hospital or other medical provider, if required, to secure your admission, treatment or discharge.
It also covers 24-hour accidental death & dismemberment up to $25,000. Check out the description of coverage.
In particular, I represented a passenger who was injured on a cruise ship. He had disability coverage through Transamerica.
Coverage begins when you begin your trip. Coverage ends when the trip is completed. This is the simple version and is subject to fine print.
Does the Universal travel insurance company have a right to recover from any responsible parties?
Yes, subject to Florida law. They have the right to recover any payments they have made from anyone who may be responsible for the loss. This includes the right to recover from Universal Studios if their negligence caused your injury.
Transamerica Claims Administration Travelex Claims Department 4600 Witmer Industrial Estates, Suite 6 Niagara Falls, NY 14305 Fax: 1-877-367-2496
Shopping at CityWalk
Some of the CityWalk shops are:
Element
Fossil®
Fresh Produce®
The Island Clothing Company
Quiet Flight® Surf Shop
Universal Studios Store®
Hart & Huntington Tattoo Company®
Theme Park Shops
Universal’s Islands of Adventure
Restaurants at Universal’s Islands of Adventure
Mythos Restaurant
Confisco Grille®
Circus McGurkus Cafe Stoo-pendous
Cafe 4®
Captain America Diner®
Comic Strip Cafe®
Thunder Falls Terrace®
The Burger Digs®
Croissant Moon Bakery®
Blondie’s
The Watering Hole®
Hop on Pop Ice Cream Shop
Some of the shops at Universal’s Islands of Adventure are:
Marvel Alterniverse Store
Jurassic Park Outfitters
Cats, Hats & Things™
Other Universal’s Islands of Adventure Shops
Universal Orlando Hotels
On-site Hotels consist of:
Loews Royal Pacific Resort
Hard Rock Hotel (Universal Orlando)
Loews Portofino Bay Hotel, Sapphire Falls Resort at Universal Orlando®
Loews Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort
Universal’s Aventura Hotel
Who Insures the Loews Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort?
Last time I checked, Liberty Mutual Insurance handles claims for the Loews Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort. Cabana Bay offers food court dining (grab and go). It also has a lazy pool and bowling alley.
All of the above Loews Universal Orlando Resort on-site hotels offer:
Complimentary shuttle buses to Universal’s theme parks and CityWalk.
Complimentary Scheduled Transportation to nearby Wet ‘n Wild water park, SeaWorld, and Aquatica.
Gold Universal Orlando Program.
Complimentary Water Taxis (All offer it except Cabana Bay)
Full Service Dining Restaurants (All except Cabana Bay.)
All the above hotels have resort-wide charging privileges with the room key. Universal may use this to verify whether you purchased alcohol during your stay at Universal Orlando.
There are many shops at Universal Studios Orlando. Some of them are:
Universal Studios Store
Kwik-E-Mart
The Barney® Store
Ollivanders
Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes
Borgin and Burkes
Magical Menagerie
Madam Malkin’s Robes for all Occasions
Wiseacre’s Wizarding Equipment
Quality Quidditch Supplies
Is Universal Studios Required to Report Amusement Ride Accidents to the State of Florida?
Yes. Each quarter, Universal Studios Orlando is required to send the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer service, Bureau of Fair Rides Inspection a summary of incidents for any accident for which a guest is taken to a hospital.
You may also want to send the request by fax, mail and email. Do not discuss the details of your accident or incident in your request. The facts are not necessary for the Department to give you the report.
In the past three (3) years, Universal has reported few incidents on rides at its theme parks. This is refreshing. Unlike Disney, Universal’s reports do not say the cause of the accident.
Of the few reported Universal Orlando amusement ride accidents, most of the injuries complained of were light-headedness and dizziness. The odds are that Universal did nothing wrong to cause those injuries.
Sometimes people with pre-existing health conditions go on a ride on which they should not.
If you look at Disney’s reported accidents, there are several cases where the injury is a fracture. Disney’s carelessness may have caused those injuries.
I do not think that Disney is more careless than Universal Orlando. Disney simply has many more guests. Thus, more injuries are bound to happen there.
If Universal Studios did nothing wrong, they do not owe the injured person anything. At best, the injured person may get free admission voucher for use in the future.
Although Universal Studios has reported few incidents, many accidents may still happen there. If someone slips and falls in Universal Studios while they are not on a ride, Universal is not required to report it to the State of Florida.
Given the fact that 7.1 million visitors go to Universal Studios Florida a year, there are sure to be plenty of slip or trip and fall accidents. It is simply the law of numbers.
These are usually the most common claimed injuries in injury cases. I have no reason to believe that claims against Universal would be any different.
Types of Injuries that You Can Suffer at Universal Orlando
Universal Orlando’s negligence can cause many types of injuries. I will not discuss injuries that have a very high likelihood of being pre-existing.
These include dizziness, fainting, passing out, loss of consciousness unrelated to an accident, seizures, feeling ill, feeling lightheaded and weak, chest pain, feeling sick, nausea and feeling disoriented.
For many of those health conditions, the guest just happened to be at Universal Studios when they experienced the sickness. For example, it is unlikely that a slow-moving ride would cause a stroke or someone to pass out.
The injured person may not be able to recover damages from Universal Orlando for those injuries. This is because Universal may not have caused them.
Now let’s discuss some injuries that have occurred at Universal Orlando.
