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See the original image at consumerist.com —

Disney Promises To Pay for Ride Injuries, Then Declines

consumerist.com — Disney, inventors of childhood itself, told Daniel they would foot the bill after he got injured on their California Adventure ride. Then when Daniel and his wife Jane tried to collect, they got strung along for months by Garth Steever in guest claims. By this time, the medical bills had already been sent to collections

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  • Skishy101, on 09/04/2008, -3/+61The ride did not specifically hurt him, the man fell, it was an accident on his part. I would side with Disney on this one if it wasn't for the fact that they told him they would cover his medical. Disney wouldn't have been in that situation if the nurse wouldn't have said anything. It's not like the man passed out and was left while the ride went on and he was bleeding all over the place. If nothing was mentioned then I don't think the couple would have had a legitimate claim.
    • blorc, on 09/04/2008, -3/+14Agreed. I don't see how the ride hurt him. Unless it was directly a result of the ride, it sounds to me like they're just trying to get attention at the very least.
      • Whackly, on 09/04/2008, -2/+2Also, they were billed an awful lot. They must have the worst health insurance ever.
    • inajeep, on 09/04/2008, -1/+1Which is exactly what the Disney's attorneys felt. Disney technically isn't at fault.
    • warispeace21, on 09/04/2008, -2/+3Plus she contradicts herself in her account of the incident. First her husband stays on the ride, then he hurts himself getting back on? Which is it? She's very vague with it, too. "In the process" he fell and hurt himself. That could mean almost anythiing.
      • aeiou, on 09/04/2008, -0/+2They don't let you just stay on the ride for a second time- there are people waiting behind you. He probably had to get back in line and wait for it again.
    • ngmcs8203, on 09/04/2008, -3/+2You mean you wouldn't expect Disney to pay for your bills if you happened to fall while walking? What?! They must be held responsible for your lack of coordination! /s
    • darkstar949, on 09/04/2008, -1/+7Alright, I agree with everyone that Disney really isn't at fault and it sounds like the nurse might have promised things that were not theirs to promise; however, I agree with the customer that Disney dropped the ball on this one. If they did indeed decide in April that Disney wasn't liable in the case then they should have let the customer know right away so that they could take care of the bills. Letting somethings sit in limbo for so long and also not returning phone calls isn't very appropriate from a business perspective and doesn't reflect very well upon the company from a customer service standpoint. This should have been settled within a month or two of when it actually happened, not 11 months later.
    • CosmicJustice, on 09/04/2008, -1/+2It's not up to a nurse to decide what Disney will pay for. Just because an employee tells a customer something that doesn't commit the company to it. If I tell a customer that my company will give him a million dollars well... he shouldn't start spending it.
    • CkMaverick, on 09/04/2008, -0/+1They do have a legitimate claim if Disney has a policy or entered into agreement with them to foot the bill. The biggest problem with this whole mess is the couple let the bill stand. If Disney is somehow liable for the bill be it policy or verbal contract then they need to take it up with Disney but instead they are taking it up with both Disney and the medical services that were rendered.

      They say they are hard working people and although ~1.6 grand is nothing to sneeze at, I think it is not a completely back breaking sum that for over a year this bill has not been paid. Like they said themselves: Their credit is on the line here. They needed to pay the bill themselves and then take Disney to court over reimbursement.

      I agree that Disney shouldn't be liable for this bill unless he somehow tripped due to their error of design or a non-marked hazard but from what all the information that I have from the article, it seems he just tripped and hit his head and should be responsible for the medical bill. Some Disney nurse riding shotgun in the ambulance or driving to the hospital is not a major representative of Disney and her word can't be taken as certifiable policy.
    • AtomicTheory, on 09/04/2008, -0/+2I love the first comment on that page:

      " Why should Disney pay anything? ... Need more info other than "Daniel went to get back on and in the process fell". Did Tigger trip him? "
    • jameskong15, on 09/04/2008, -0/+1While it may not be popular here, the reality is that when someone gets hurt on your property, especially in the case of an amusement park which has numerous items not found anywhere else, you may be found liable for the seemingly inconsequential injuries that occur on your grounds. Places like this are way better off settling small bills right away instead of fighting and looking like a bully.
    • DifferentAngle, on 09/04/2008, -1/+0Sounds like Disney was at fault and these people claim that some random nurse told them that the bills would be paid for. They don't have proof of that, and it's just some random nurse that wasn't at the incident.

      The consumerist should post some articles where they tell people to stop blackmailing companies into giving them free stuff.
  • bis4brandy, on 09/04/2008, -6/+40you shouldn't be able to sue over stupidity.
  • bosssmiley, on 09/04/2008, -6/+51"Disney, inventors of childhood itself..."

    Hype and *****! The Victorians (the people who actually wrote stories like Peter Pan, HuckFinn, Little Mermaid, etc.) invented the modern conception of childhood as an age of innocence and wonderment; DisneyCorp just slapped a trademark tag on it.
    • boneit, on 09/04/2008, -7/+2Agreed. I hated all their crap as a kid, never knew anyone that actually liked that ***** mouse and associates.
      • NuFadZoo, on 09/04/2008, -2/+14I'll see your rant, and I'll raise you Fantasia. Good day sir.
      • AtomicTheory, on 09/04/2008, -1/+2I liked Mickey and the other Disney characters, and judging from the piles of money that they rake in, you probably did know a lot of people who "actually liked" them.

        liar
    • NJank, on 09/04/2008, -1/+2damn patent trolls.
    • Whackly, on 09/04/2008, -0/+11I believe "Disney, inventors of childhood iteself..." was meant as irony. In fact, I'm sure that it was and I'm confused about the circumstances under which a functional adult wouldn't realize it. However, your indignity is entertaining.
      • AtomicTheory, on 09/04/2008, -0/+6I love you
      • bosssmiley, on 09/04/2008, -1/+1It is a fact know to all that Americans simply can't do irony. From thence arose my confusion.
      • anizzle, on 09/05/2008, -0/+1This isn't Disney's problem. But, if they did indeed say they would foot the bill, then that kind of sucks...O Well.

        LONG LIVE MICKEY MOUSE!
  • wunksta, on 09/04/2008, -14/+5disney is a pit of evil with a sugar coating and white wash to cover it all up
    • fani, on 09/04/2008, -1/+5Right, but I bet you'll take your friends and relatives to Disney to show them a good time if chance permits.
      Also, after you have kids, the first thing you'd want to do is take then to enjoy Disney.

      I know it sounds like I'm calling you a hypocrite, but in reality, thats usually how it goes.
      You yell and scream one thing, then eventually end up doing what normally everyone else does.
      • wunksta, on 09/04/2008, -1/+1really? have you read about how they allow sex criminals to work and when they get caught AGAIN they dont write them up for it? exposing themselves to kids, spying on womens dressing rooms etc not to mention the blatant cover ups, scandals and labor issues

        there are tons and TONS of horrible ***** that disney does and to say that its ok simply because they parade around like some kind of childrens fantasy is *****.

        im not trying to be "anti-establishment" for the ***** of it here, disney is flat out horrible in more ways that one.

        this article is just the tip of the ice berg
      • Laminarcissus, on 09/04/2008, -0/+2Exactly, wunksta. If you want your kids to go on safe, clean rides with well-trained operators, I say stick with the good old traveling carnival when it comes to town.

        Fair games, clean food, and a square deal every time.
      • wunksta, on 09/04/2008, -1/+1mmm strawmen. i love it. lets just completely avoid the issue about how disney is ***** up.

        "doesnt matter what they get away with! my kids love it!"
    • ajaxmil, on 09/04/2008, -0/+1yeah. let's see how anti-establishment you are when your 6-year old begs you nonstop for a disney trip.
      • xtothepowerofx, on 09/04/2008, -1/+1man.. do you have any idea how easy it is to dropkick a 6 year old? should shut him up for a couple of hours
  • reyoo30309, on 09/04/2008, -11/+4"All will be taken care of."
    "Nah, just kidd'in"
  • johnomaz, on 09/04/2008, -3/+44I'll tell Mr Daniel to eat *****. Oh no, I fell down while I was walking and hit my head, pay for my bills.

    It also sounds to me like the Disney nurse said stuff she didn't have authority to say.

    I was in Disneyland in July this year. Should I sue Disney for the blisters I had on my feet? I mean, if their rides weren't so far apart, I wouldn't have gotten blisters from walking so much.
    • brainflakes, on 09/04/2008, -0/+0It may not have been disney's fault but they sure messed him around! If you had an accident and was *told* they would pay, then blanked you for that amount of time I'm sure you'd feel pretty hurt!
  • cubicledrone, on 09/04/2008, -3/+6Whenever corporations whine about the high cost of litigation, stories like this should be the response.
    • minerva43, on 09/04/2008, -1/+3There was no litigation, even after Disney went back on their offer to pay the bills. The couple just wanted their bills paid. Disney is lucky the couple didn't sue them after being ignored for months.
      • jollyroger814, on 09/04/2008, -0/+1Secret's out. It's not illegal to ignore someone. These people would get booted from court in a heartbeat if they tried suing over corporate process. It takes more than a day to process anything in a large corporation.
      • minerva43, on 09/04/2008, -0/+1Perhaps you missed the part where they were ignored for months? What are you going to do if 1) you were injured at a theme park 2) the park said they would pay for everything 3) 4-8 months down the line nothing was resolved? Are you going to lay down and take it? It's not illegal, but it is worth a civil case or small claims case. Ignoring people isn't illegal but they can't ignore a court summons.
  • missstacia, on 09/04/2008, -8/+8well if disney said they would pay.....they should pay!
    • DasTroll, on 09/04/2008, -0/+1No, they should not. A random nurse said that they would take care of it....probably somebody that had no ***** clue what she was talking about. It was their fault they took the nurse's word. And also, why should Disney have to pay for it? Why would they think they would? A man tripped on his own accord. You know, a company will normally pay for bills if they are worried they will be sued.
    • wdehner, on 09/04/2008, -0/+3Not really....the nurse most likely wasn't the person to make the determination that Disney would pay. This is one of the problems with America. There are too many people that have an accident and want to hold everyone but themselves responsible. Hello --- Wake up - accidents happen and that is what insurance is for. If the accident was due to some sort of negligence on Disney's part (broken seat belt, ride in disrepair, fill in the blank -----) then they should be held responsible but for someone who accidentally fell, c'mon...it isn't their fault.
  • mondster, on 09/04/2008, -3/+10How is it she remembers every word and phrasing the nurse said, but not her name and she was soooo distraught?
    • DasTroll, on 09/04/2008, -1/+0I AM SO WORRIED. MY HUSBAND HAS A SMALL CUT ON HIS FOREHEAD!!! WHAT. THE. *****. SO ***** UP. I CANNOT BELIEVE THIS HAPPENED TO ME!!!! WHY GOD, WHY?
      • Teej, on 09/04/2008, -0/+1In all fairness, it says he was knocked unconscious. Dick.
      • DasTroll, on 09/04/2008, -0/+0Knocked unconscious is the best way to get knocked, dude. You don't feel the initial impact. Maybe a bit afterward...but your body is already dealing with it by that time ;)
      • Teej, on 09/06/2008, -0/+1Yes, but seeing your significant other knocked unconscious usually isn't taken lightly.
  • no2gates, on 09/04/2008, -3/+7
    Never trust a talking mouse, I always say.
  • welestgw, on 09/04/2008, -2/+11No longer an issue:

    "This email did just the trick and we got a call the next day. Disney advised they will pay all the bills AND give us the passes to Disney.

    We got the idea from your website. Thanks so much!"
  • LanceUppercut, on 09/04/2008, -2/+15Here's an idea, instead of totally ***** up your credit, pay the god damn co-pay and then start the process of getting disney to pay you back!

    My insurance wouldn't cover this, but then again I don't need insurance to subsidize my visits to the doctor (every 3-5 years) or optometrist (160 every few years) or dentist (180 a year). I carry insurance for getting cancer and things like that, not a plan to make my generic drug prescriptions cost 8 instead of 18! Catastrophic insurance, google it.

    • DasTroll, on 09/04/2008, -0/+0Or how about you look where the ***** you're going and not get knocked unconscious....eh?
    • Laminarcissus, on 09/04/2008, -1/+3Yeah, you carry insurance for getting cancer, not preventing it.

      And not all prescriptions have generic equivalents, and those that do have equivalents aren't always equivalent.

      And if you're going for a comprehensive physical every 3 - 5 years you're putting yourself at great risk for something serious to develop and progress much further than it would have otherwise, potentially to incurable levels, but at least to a point where it's much more expensive to treat then if you'd caught it early.

      Think that's you're own decision? Well you're trying to get us all to take catastrophic insurance alone, yet it's people like you, by thinking that it is the be-all-end-all safety net while not taking your other health care responsibilities seriously, that's pricing it out of existence.
      • jerrycurley, on 09/04/2008, -1/+2If he is in his early 20s, a physical every 3 years is fine unless he has signs of something wrong.
      • Laminarcissus, on 09/04/2008, -0/+1Would that were still true.

        There are still a lot of medical recommendations to that effect, but they've been around a long time. Some say you should have only two from age 20 - 30.

        The problem is that we know a lot more now, especially about the value of screenings for immediate threats like testicular cancer, and to catch problems early that become unmanageable later on like obesity, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or Type II diabetes.

        It seems cold, but personally I don't think anyone knows as much about living or dying as health insurance companies, and when so many now are willing to pay for annual exams, it shows they know early screening provides real returns in lower claims later on.
  • DagonNL, on 09/04/2008, -7/+2Let them know what you think:

    http://mediakit.go.com/contact.html
    • timsline, on 09/04/2008, -0/+1I think they shouldn't have paid after some nurse who's name they don't remember alledgedly made promises like that. Disney staff knows better than to make statements like that without any intention of following through.
  • ajaxmil, on 09/04/2008, -3/+10I think its cool disney paid the bills. No legal obligation to, yet they paid the next day.
    It was his own fault anyways.
  • drunkinbda, on 09/04/2008, -2/+13one poster:
    "Oranges w/ Cheese at 03:59 PM on 09/03/08
    Reply by Email
    Even if it was only a trip over a stair, its Disney property and they are liable for any injuries sustained on it."

    wtf is wrong with america and its legal/lawsuit culture? Where have the times of self-responsibility gone? Unless its negligence (like a stair fell through, or floorboard game loose), companies should NOT be liable for stupid people's actions.
    • welestgw, on 09/04/2008, -1/+2I agree, though there isn't nearly enough information on the post to know why they thought it was Disney's fault. So really the whole post is a waste of time.
      • drunkinbda, on 09/04/2008, -0/+4seems a lot of comments say the same thing. too little info to say whether they are liable or not.

        i think my fav quote was:

        "The way I read this is that her husband was on his way back into the ride and the safety bar that keeps you from falling out fell on his head and knocked him to the ground, rendering him unconscious. That in my opinion is Disney's fault."

        Did i miss something??

        i suppose the main part is saying that they offered reimbursement and then left the customers hanging. IMO i would think that it was a little different than that. Perhaps the nurse said to talk to someone as its a possibility, or whatever. But i doubt a nurse came out blatantly saying they'd pay for it.
    • jerrycurley, on 09/04/2008, -1/+3Well, this poster is wrong. There is no such thing as automatical liability for property owners. They MUST have done something to cause the injury. It may not have to be much, but there has to be some other reason for the fall other than "he was on the property" For example, a crack in the sidewalk could make the property owner liable. A stair that is slightly higher than the others would make them liable.

      But if the guy just tripped over a level, uncracked sidewalk, Disney would NOT be legally liable. I have no idea where people get thier information from, except for cheesy sitcoms on TV, but no such law exists. In fact, laws exist to protect both businesses and residents from just such thing. (For example, there is a "good samaritan" law that says that people can't sue you for falling in your yard...again unless you created a dangerous situation...to encourage neighbors to allow children to play in your yard. So if you have a nice hill, you are NOT legally responsible if they get hurt while sleighriding in the winter.)

      It is sad to see just how many commenters on Consumerist are so ignorant, yet act like they are lawyers. And there there are some comments who are whining about comments that question the details of the accident. Saying how Consumerist is becoming anti-cpnsumer for not automatically siding with whining little bitches complaining about everything.
  • EricG, on 09/04/2008, -2/+25The consumerist.com is rapidly going downhill with these sensational stories.. they are rapidly becoming the National Inquirer of the internets. Is it me or are they getting worse with each one?
    • herohue, on 09/04/2008, -0/+4has the consumerist ever been uphill?
  • sb66, on 09/04/2008, -2/+10Uh I don't see how this was Disney's fault, the kid just fell, he wasn't hurt as a result of Disney's negligence. Also a nurse's verbal statement about paying means nothing without it in writing or at the very least, her name!

  • fknrat, on 09/04/2008, -2/+13The guy tripped by himself. The ride itself didn't injure him. Both him and his wife sound like scam artists to me.
  • mpobri, on 09/04/2008, -2/+14Guy falls (likely his fault, not Disney) and they don't contact Disney for 5 months (accident was Sept '07, they contact guest relations in Feb '08)? Their credit problem is caused by procrastination, not some evil company. Nice of Disney to step forward and offer to pay, but clearly they did so to shut them up and keep this (mostly) quiet.

    Disney might be evil, but this ain't evidence.
    • darkstar949, on 09/04/2008, -1/+1They contacted Disney after getting the bills from the hospital - nothing too unusual about this as hospitals can take a couple months to send you a bill. If anything, the nurse that rode with them should have reported back and Disney should have been contacting them right away.
  • SkippyDoorknob, on 09/04/2008, -0/+7Sounds like some sort of Mickey Mouse operation...
    • mpobri, on 09/04/2008, -0/+3That was lame, but caught me off-guard so I'm laughing out loud. Dugg.
  • RickMurrow, on 09/04/2008, -2/+5What is it so freakn difficult about basic accountability in our current society? We will never know the exact circumstances following the accident, but DISNEY NEED TO ANSWER THEIR DAMN PHONE CALLS. Waiting 4 months to tell them the were stiffing him, while accepting more bills is INEXCUSABLE.

    It is a damn shame that we have to publicly embarrass mega-corporations to do the right thing. The default with such companies and health care providers is to DENY coverage and make you fight for every penny. I guess some people just don't fight back and these craptacular corporations are counting on that (which is why they ignored basic communication). I echo cubicledrone above... The reason we have lawsuits and punitive damages is because corporations thumb their noes at what is obviously right UNLESS they are called for it. Punitive damages sound like BS when viewed by themselves, but when corporations willfully ignore what is right, they not only need to be held accountable but PUNISHED. Since they only understand money, that is where they must be hit. In this case they were absolute FOOLS for ignoring a few thousand in health bills and getting millions in bad PR.

    "Tort reform" sounds peachy until something happens to you. Ask Trent Lott, the old gOp majority leader after Katrina. That hypocrite sewed insurance companies for millions to pay for his flooded vacation house. Award caps sound great when you are pandering to your base.
    • jerrycurley, on 09/04/2008, -1/+1they didn't do a ***** thing wrong. They have no obligation to answer calls from stupid iditos complaining about something that they are NOT responsible for all the while letting their billsgo to collection.
  • jtown, on 09/04/2008, -3/+9That guy and his wife make me pretty mad. So does the nurse who allegedly said Disney would foot the bill (tho I sincerely doubt that promise was ever made). The guy fell. There's no indication that Disney was responsible in any way. No mention that the design of the ride or the queue area cased the fall. No indication that a structure (hand rail, stairs, etc.) failed and caused the fall. No indication that anyone but the man himself was responsible for the fall.

    So the guy received preliminary treatment in the park free of charge, got free tickets to the park, and received good treatment from Disney the entire time he was in their hands. Once he was on the ambulance, Disney was done. If Disney wanted to reimburse him for his deductibles, that's their prerogative but the guy can't ignore the bills from the hospital and his insurance company. That is a debt that HE owes, not Disney. You can't just say "bill this other party" and walk away. They should have paid the bills then submitted a claim to Disney for reimbursement. If Disney paid, great. If not, well, they weren't obligated to. Some random employee saying, "Oh, we'll pay for everything" is not binding at all. If the nurse had said, "Oh, Disney will give you a million bucks to cover your expenses" would anyone think it reasonable to expect payment? A nurse would not be authorized to make any such offer.

    As for the "they would have paid if we didn't have insurance" thing, that's a whole different matter. That's the difference between a guest being out a few hundred for their deductible and being out many thousands of dollars for the full bill. Disney probably has insurance to cover uninsured guests. But these weren't uninsured guests.
  • rheaume, on 09/04/2008, -1/+9Is it just me or is it every time I see a consumerist article its about some fat, entitled moron who ***** up and wants someone else to pay for it?
    • SkippyDoorknob, on 09/04/2008, -3/+1But they specifically told him they would pay for it.
      • rheaume, on 09/04/2008, -1/+1Im sure she's been fired already and that's done a lot of good for her and her family, way to go!
        next time trip somewhere else
  • ToddSchishler, on 09/04/2008, -5/+3Everyone saying that Disney should have not paid, look up the concept of promissory estoppel. The nurse estopped herself the minute she told Jane that Disney would reimburse her insurance company.

    Oh screw it,

    Promissory estoppel: "The doctrine of promissory estoppel prevents one party from withdrawing a promise made to a second party if the latter has reasonably relied on that promise and acted upon it to his detriment."
    • SkippyDoorknob, on 09/04/2008, -0/+1I can't seem to find a Legalese to English translator anywhere...
    • CosmicJustice, on 09/04/2008, -0/+2Great. Go collect from the nurse. She isn't authorized to write checks for Disney.
    • Laminarcissus, on 09/04/2008, -1/+1But only if the party had the authority to bind the corporation with their promise.

      Verbal instruction from an unnamed nurse would not, by any stretch, bind the corporation. If they followed the nurse's instruction to discover a process by which they could make claims, then that process would likely explain how it would bind (or more likely, not bind) the corporation beyond relevant law.

      The company is liable only if there is some negligence, and the nurse could not have known whether there was negligence or not, so she could not make a clear and definite promise regarding anything.
    • jerrycurley, on 09/04/2008, -0/+1So...you heard hte word used by smarter people and decided to apply it here.

      The only problem is, it DOESN'T apply here. The nurse did not have authority to make hte offer. Hence Disney is not boiund by the offer.

      Otherwise, what is to stop people from working in cohoots. That nurse could have said "We will pay you $1 million for your troubles..we can afford it." and by your ignorant logic, Disney would now be on the hook for the full million.
  • soomprimal, on 09/04/2008, -1/+2What matters here isn't whether or not the guy was liable for his own fall. The story is how poorly Disney handled the issue by stringing the couple along and "dropping the ball." Perhaps if the couple had learned earlier on that Disney was not responsible for the accident, then the whole EECB wouldn't have been necessary, but as it stands, Disney screwed itself over. I'd be pissed too if I was told by some suit that he had oops, "dropped the ball," that in itself deserves a letter.
    • Laminarcissus, on 09/04/2008, -1/+1Can't it be about both things?

      Disney does not appear to be liable for damages in the original incident.

      How they resolved that issue, however, appears to have resulted in damages.

      They chose to resolve those damages by paying the complaint's original request.

      Sorted.
  • PawtucketPat, on 09/04/2008, -1/+2Damn, I was at Disney world a couple of months ago. I should have fallen for free tickets and an ambulance ride.
  • FeloniusMonkey, on 09/04/2008, -1/+4Maybe Disney needs to make its visitors sign a waiver form: "I am certified in the operation of stairs and stair-like systems, and I will take responsibility for my own misuse of them."
  • Trublmakr, on 09/04/2008, -0/+3The whole story is stupid,.. besides,..if you scroll to the bottom it says Disney did look after the medical bills anyway.
  • SanyaG, on 09/04/2008, -5/+0DISNY LAND>>>> HAPPY TIME........................
    ...
    ....
    .....
    .....
    ...
    ..
    ..
    .
    NOT!!!!!
  • xtothepowerofx, on 09/04/2008, -1/+3bury this comment if you feel like it, but man i'm glad i don't live in a country where it costs more than 2 grand for a couple of doctors visits and a few stitches.. that's nuts

    tommy douglas and free x-rays FTW!
    • gcpeart, on 09/04/2008, -0/+2I was going to make this comment, but you did it better. I think the only fee on her list that isn't covered is the Ambulance.
      • xtothepowerofx, on 09/04/2008, -0/+1true dat... i have paid 75$ for an ambulance, still cheaper than a cab :)
  • DubbGirl, on 09/04/2008, -1/+0Mr BabyMan works at Disney. Go get him
  • Markers, on 09/04/2008, -0/+4Walt Disney should rise from his grave and beat the ***** out of those two morons. You fell. It's your fault. Accept some personal responsibility and move on.
  • Almightygosh, on 09/04/2008, -0/+1Man! Down with mouse based fascism!

    The free market shall lead the way!
  • x2cprincess, on 09/04/2008, -1/+3As if I need another reason to loathe the sensationalist rag that is the Consumerist...

    Read through the comments on this story. Watch at the moderators warn people for "blaming the consumer". Last I checked, questioning ALL sides of a story was called critical thinking, a skill that falls only slightly below comprehension in the importance of reading a news story.

    Ugh. I don't know why I open Consumerist stories. I guess it's the same masochistic part of myself that pauses on Fox News as flip through the channels. In both scenarios I only end up angry at the idiots who fall for this one-sided, sensationalistic drivel.

    /indulgent whining
    • Almightygosh, on 09/04/2008, -1/+1Unless you work for a huge corporation yourself, I don't see how you can be on thier side in a story involving escalating hospital bills and bad credit.
  • samimnot, on 09/04/2008, -0/+2“Daniel went to get back on and in the process fell and hit his head on the ground, knocking him unconscious and cutting his forehead open”
    -Is this Disney's fault he’s clumsy?

    “While waiting for the ambulance, he and I had a conversation with a very kind Disney nurse”
    -I’d really like to hear the nurse’s version of this conversation.

    “He advised us that Disney investigated and decided that it was not liable for the incident”
    -If you have something contradicting his statement (where they say they WILL BE responsible) then present it.

    “When I told him that we would need copies of the state inspection and the employee interviews, he told me that we are not allowed to receive copies of the interviews because they are confidential Disney property”
    -Sounds perfectly right, to me…Disney paid for this / Disney is under no obligation to send you a copy.

    “If we had not been told in the first place that Disney would pay the costs arising out of the incident, this never would have happened”
    -Why didn’t you just pay the bills to begin with (before they were sent to collection).

    “This email did just the trick and we got a call the next day. Disney advised they will pay all the bills AND give us the passes to Disney”
    -Another case of a Corporation just paying someone off (right or wrong) because their legal bills would of cost more then what these people were asking for. These people had ZERO going for them in a court of law. Just like the other “90% of ALL CONSUMERIST STORIES” that makes me despise them.

    Give me something for free….Whaaaaaaaa, I’m American and I deserve it.
    • Almightygosh, on 09/04/2008, -1/+1What, do you work for Disney or something?
      • jerrycurley, on 09/04/2008, -2/+2do you work at all? Because you have no intelligence to hold down a job if you think that anyone who psots common sense and FACTS must be on "their side"
      • Almightygosh, on 09/05/2008, -0/+1....[gives troll snacks]
  • kenrblan, on 09/04/2008, -0/+1Disney did beat out Scientology as the Root of All Evil last night:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A32tkhOoWfk
  • iiiii623498, on 09/04/2008, -0/+1I just started work for disney in orlando.

    I honestly have never had a worse job.
  • jks52086, on 09/04/2008, -0/+3I'm sick of this consumerist website. People complain way too much. Sorry that I just complained about complaining.
  • smokingmole, on 09/04/2008, -0/+1balltacular
  • sarahbrown43, on 09/04/2008, -0/+1I worked as a restaurant manager and people would fall in our establishment all of the time. Our insurance company always took care of the injured party. It's the right thing to do.
  • SmokinOkie, on 09/04/2008, -0/+2WTF? It went to collections? Why the hell didn't they pay the bill WHILE attempting to get their corporate welfare....I mean settlement money?
  • bincoder, on 09/04/2008, -0/+1If someone is on my front yard and falls, gets stung by a bee, finds a nail and shoves it in their own eye, or anything else I would get sued instantly because its my fault for not covering the lawn in 3 feet of foam rubber to protect whoever may pass through.
    Why should that be any different for a multi zillion dollar corporation?
    If I can afford insurance to cover it, they can too.
    Screw Disney. Either pay up, or lobby congress to make that kind of thing illegal nationwide. Disney has the power to do that.
    Im against stupid lawsuits too. But when law applies differently according to how many dollars (or billions) you have, something is just slightly amiss.
    Did you know if someone breaks into your car to steal it and gets injured in even the slightest way, they can sue you for damages. Whats worse, they will likely win.

    • jerrycurley, on 09/04/2008, -1/+1Except you are WRONG! Stop ***** acting like you know what you are talking about. What you said is completely NOT TRUE!

      Not only is that not the law, but there are laws that specifically protect homeowners from such a thing.

      Someone falls on your property through no fault of your own, and they can't sue. IT will not even get to court. Unless you created a dangerous situation.

      Even if they slip on a snow covered sidewalk, you are fine. Now, if you made the sidewalk icy by spraying it with a hose to try to "melt" the snow, then it would be your fault.

  • sonicularulus, on 09/04/2008, -0/+1It's not a promise unless it has been written on paper. As far as the injury, I don't see how they could've been Disney's fault. I've gone to California Adventure many times and have seen the Maliboomer ride multiple times and the only way I could see such an injury could happen would be on a guest's actions of probably running, sitting on the rails, or jumping over the rails/chains, which is not advised by disney to do. They provide pathways to go around the railing so there is absolutely no reason to jump over them.

    HOWEVER, seeing the end of the letter, Disney should just pay the bill. It's not that large considering they made a huge profit and have a crap load of money set aside for a California Adventure re-design.
    • jerrycurley, on 09/04/2008, -0/+1Well, THAT's not true at all either. Holy ***** *****. Why is it that so many people think that they are legal experts?

      Verbal agreements are binding. There is NOTHING in the law that requires agreements to be written down.

      However, this is not binding because the nurse had no authority to make the offer.
  • Barackalypse, on 09/04/2008, -0/+1At what point are you responsible for your own injuries? As best I can tell from this article, the ride just recently had a clean safety inspection and this guy just fell, it wasn't any inherent hazard.
  • boneit, on 09/04/2008, -1/+0Hanna-Barbera was the toon king when I was a young kid. Then there was the spider-man and Scooby Doo reruns, and that wacky races that was used as a slot filler. Star Wars got a look in once it came out, but 90% of the time it was all about football, football and more football, arguing about who was best ad-infinitum. I grew up in the UK, we spend almost all available time playing footy in the fields, with a smidgen of cricket thrown in, not in front of screens. Disney was always considered *****. Take away Pixar holding their name up for over a decade, they'd be nothing more than living on their past marketing, theme parks, and abysmal lowest common denominator teen "sensation"crap.

    My two kids can't stand it either, so it's not a country / generation thing. Their friends aren't remotely interested either, it's all about rangers, transformers, land before time, not crap mice and ducks.
  • Almightygosh, on 09/04/2008, -1/+1I notice a lot of what I can only assume are Disney plants in here. The real problem isn't the fact that the fellow fell, its that Disney made a promise, and they planned their life around it. Even if Disney decided to not give him the money, they should've told them at a good time so that they could find an alternate way to pay the bills. Disney absolutely dropped the ball here, irregardless of how 'clumsy' the gentleman in question is.
  • x2cprincess, on 09/04/2008, -0/+1I didn't say that I was on anyone's side. I do know that the story presented by the consumer didn't answer every question that came to mind when I read the account (it seems that is usually the case with Consumerist stories). I do also feel that huge corporations are not evil simply on the basis that they are huge corporations.

    The issue that I was perturbed by is how quickly the moderators of the site jumped down the throats of the people who questioned the consumer. The way to get to the truth of a story is through critical thinking, questioning and discussion. I find the discouragement of these actions speaks volumes about the credibility of the stories published on The Consumerist.

    I don't care if a story involves volcanoes and dead puppies. I am going to read and subsequently question a story without letting someone else's emotion dictate how I ought to be feeling. Bringing me back, full circle, to the conclusion of my last comment. I am not a fan of sensationalism.
    • x2cprincess, on 09/05/2008, -0/+1Dammit. I hit reply... I know I did. Sorry guys. This was directed @almightygosh.
    • Almightygosh, on 09/05/2008, -1/+1Well, I read the piece too, and there seems to be no real evidence to back up the fact that Disney didn't promise him the money. If there was evidence against the gentleman with the split forehead, sure I would question it. But there isn't, which is why I'm surprised that so many are assuming the worst about the customer. Even if Disney promised him the money as part of a prize, it would be the same irresponsibility on their part. People seem to be chiding the man for mostly theoretical wrongs, calling the nurse incompetent for offering the money (when clearly it was meant from higher ups to be part of the deal, or else they would not have stringed them along), and defending the company against the consumer at all costs.

      And honestly, those rides are supposed to be idiot proof, for children young and old, etc etc. If someone gets hurt in a ride its 98% their fault.
  • brainflakes, on 09/04/2008, -0/+1$777 medical bill for a few stitches, even with insurance?? Healthcare in America is a bad joke!
  • matteoleal, on 09/05/2008, -1/+0disney is the biggest crock of ***** in the world... It is ***** communist!
  •  

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