A Florida jury awarded $310 million to the family of Tyre Sampson, a 14-year-old from Missouri who tragically fell to his death from a free-fall ride at an amusement park in March 2022.
The lawsuit was filed against the company that made the ride, Funtime Handels GmbH, based in Austria. The jury found the company responsible for Tyre’s death, calling it a result of neglect and unsafe practices.
Tyre’s family lawyer, Ben Crump, said the verdict holds corporations accountable for product safety, stressing that the company prioritized profits over safety.
The company did not send a representative to the trial, and no attorney was listed in court documents. A spokesperson for the company did not comment.
The $310 million in damages will be split between Tyre’s mother and father. The lawsuit was filed a month after Tyre’s death, which occurred during a trip to Orlando’s ICON Park with his football team.
Tyre, who weighed 383 pounds, was too heavy for the ride, which had a 285-pound weight limit. The ride had no seat belts, and Tyre fell at least 100 feet.
In addition to this verdict, the family reached a settlement last year with ICON Park and the ride’s owner, Eagle Drop Slingshot, though the amount of the settlement is not publicly known. The ride has been taken down.
In May 2023, Florida passed the Tyre Sampson Act, which raises safety standards for amusement park rides.