LOS ANGELES — A federal jury has granted $7.25 million to a 74-year-old Arizona woman following a serious spinal injury she sustained during a fall while exiting the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride at Universal Studios Hollywood.
The incident occurred in September 2022 when Pamela Morrison was preparing to board the ride with her grandson. She was instructed to exit due to a malfunction with her safety harness. During her exit from a moving walkway, Morrison reportedly slipped and fell onto the ground, leading to her injury, as stated in her lawsuit.
Morrison’s attorney emphasized that the fall, which resulted in a spinal compression fracture, was exacerbated by the theme park’s employees’ decision not to stop the moving walkway. “It would have cost them four seconds to stop it, but instead they wanted to keep the ride moving, prioritizing their hourly capacity over guest safety,” the attorney commented.
In defense, Universal Studios Hollywood argued that Morrison was not paying attention to her footing as she focused on her grandson, suggesting that she bore responsibility for the accident.
After a three-day trial, the jury deliberated for four hours before determining that Universal Studios was liable for the unsafe conditions that led to Morrison’s injury. The jury awarded her $250,000 for future medical expenses, $2 million for past pain and suffering, and $5 million for future pain and suffering.
A request for comment on the verdict was made to Universal Studios Hollywood. Morrison’s attorney remarked, “The fall changed her whole life, and that’s what the jury saw. We believe this verdict reflects a just outcome.”
