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Ride manufacturer ordered to pay $310M in lawsuit
The Austrian company that built the FreeFall ride from which 14-year-old Tyre Sampson fell to his death has been ordered to pay $310 million to his family. While the company has sold many amusement rides in the United States, questions remain about whether the Sampson family will be able to collect the judgment.
ORLANDO, Fla. - Tyre Sampson’s family has won their civil lawsuit against FunTimes, the Austrian manufacturer of the FreeFall ride that killed the 14-year-old boy.
The lawsuit alleged that Funtime could have installed a $660 harness that might have saved Sampson’s life but failed to do so. As a result, the company has been ordered to pay the family $310 million.
The family had previously reached settlements with two other defendants, had the ride at ICON Park dismantled, and helped pass the Tyre Sampson Safety Act.
Kimberly Wald, one of the family’s attorneys, called the judgment the final piece of the puzzle. "You have to be held accountable," Wald said. "You have to provide compensation for the families who actually suffered from your injustice."
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Funime manufactures rides used worldwide, including in amusement parks across 16 U.S. states. ICON Park itself has three rides originally sold by FunTimes, though they are no longer the company’s property.
"Every time they sell a ride, they get money from that ride, and it gets put into a bank account," Wald explained. "If there are rides they haven’t sold yet, those tangible assets could potentially be seized."
Collecting the judgment won’t be immediate. The family’s legal team will need to file a lawsuit in Austria, where FunTimes is based, and has already secured an attorney there.
The family says their fight isn’t over. While the Tyre Sampson Safety Act addresses ride inspections, they are pushing for provisions requiring seatbelts and nationwide ride safety standards as their next steps.
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