DD got an electrical shock/burn at CR!

[B3LM]

Does anyone know the phone number or address for Guest Claims? While we were at the Contemporary on Easter Sunday waiting to go in for Easter Mass, my DD5 touched a live wire that was sticking out of an electrical outlet. The wire was about 6 inches long! She got an electrical shock and burn. The paramedics came and treated her, and they (the police and a CR CM) took our name, phone, and address. I haven't received any phone call. My mail from last week gets delivered today and I'm hoping there is a letter from them in the mail. If not, I feel that I should contact them because this was complete neglegance on their part.

What would you do?
Thanks!
Beth

[corndog]

This is not complete negligence on their part. There is certainly some contributory negligence on your part. Who allows their children to touch strange wires protruding from walls when you don't know what they are? Mean but true. I do hope your child is alright, though. This will probably be the last time she does that.

[melindaandrob]

I disagree corndog, things happen in the blink of an eye. I could see one of my children touching a wire sticking out of the wall. Kids are curious.

Beth, I'm glad that your daughter didn't suffer more serious injuries. If you don't hear from WDW I would definitely follow up, just to know how they handled the incident so noone else is at risk.

Melinda

[dedala]

Corndog....... you probably do not have any kids, they are a million miles an hour , all day everyday,

I am glad she is ok as well, Disney should have known better, shame on them...
I would contact them asap

[maryliz]

Wow ... it could have been so much worse for your daughter. Glad to hear that she will be fine, but you are right to want to know that the situation was rectified. You do not have to feel that you were negligent ... parents need about 4 extra hands to hold each and every body part of each and every child (lol). Melinda is right ... things happen in the blink of an eye. If the wire was there because they were working on it, they should have had a little orange/black sign that sits on the floor to alert passersby of a danger in the immediate vicinity.

[B3LM]

corndog, I can't even respond to your comment except that I allow my children to touch electrical outlets everyday! NOT!!!
I don't think she even realized that there was an electrical outlet there. After all, who'd expect to have a 6 inch wire sticking out of the outlet.

I really thought I'd hear something from them by now and everyone keeps telling me that I should definitely follow up.

[MinnieGi]

I'm so sorry to hear this happend, but I am glad your DD is alright.
Disney definetly should have taken better "childproofing" measures to insure safety. A 6-inch wire protruding from a wall is a call to any curious kid to come check it out. They way kids can move around, parents cannot always react fast enough.
I hope you hear from Disney soon.

[cforza]

B3LM, Sorry about that. It is indeed negligence on the resorts part, but I doubt very much you are going to hear anything from them. Most likely they are hoping you forget the incident, and do nothing. It is up to you to contact them and tell them what you want. They aren't about to pursue this, nor will they admit fault and certainly not if you do nothing.

If you are interested in pursuing this, call an attorney and ask if it's worthwhile. Did you take a photo of the wire coming out of the wall? That would have been a good thing to do, but you do have a copy of the accident report. At least I hope you have a copy of the accident report! Most likely you will not hear from Disney. Why would they contact you?

If your daughter was burned, and scarred, through their negligence (this was their fault, not yours), then she should be compensated. If you call an attorney with a brief explanation they will probably tell you whether to pursue it and it won't cost anything to find out. That's what I would do.

[kdmak]

We were staying at the All Star in Sept. A 3 yr. old was taken by rescue to the hospital for exactly the same thing. I wonder how many times things like this happen and no one ever hears about it. Something should be done since these hotels are for children.

[denman007]

I would write a legal document stating your intention of sueing the resort. That usually gives the party a wake-up call.

But, of course, wait to check your mail - don't jump to conclusions.

At the least, you should be given a free stay as comp.

[AF Brenda]

Were there any associated medical bills, and if so, did Disney offer to cover them?

[kaitlynangel]

I wanted to say I was very upset reading your post. I know that if that happen to my daughter, I would probably lose it. She's my life. And theres no doubt WDW is responsible to provide a reasonable aspect of safety in the room your occupying. The live electrical wire it not an expected hazard of staying in a hotel room and it is reasonable to expect that such an item as a live wire not be present in your room. If your child stuck her hand into an electrical outlet then you would neglient but this no the case. You should contact WDW but aslo you may need to contact an attorney (a reputable one, hopeful by recommendation by a friend or family member). This is an incident that I hope no one on this board or anywhere ever has happen to them. Let's hope that some future good will come of this and prevent this from happening again. I believe your hospital bills of course should be covered, this was at no-fault of your own and really could have caused great damage or death. Keep us up to date.

[B3LM]

Thanks for all the responses! I just got back from the doctor. I spoke with my pediatrician this morning and she wanted me to have an EKG done to be sure there was no damage. Fortunately, she said everything is ok and her burns are almost healed.

I did check the mail today and I didn't receive anything. I think you're probably right that I won't hear from them. They just hope that I forget about the incident. Now that I have an additional medical bill, I will definitely be contacting them.

A close friend of ours is an attorney, so my DH is going to talk to him about it today and ask for his advice on how to handle it.

I hope this never happens to anyone else! It absolutely scared the life out of me - I'm very thankful that it wasn't my 2YO because it could have been much more serious. I do have to say that the people at CR were very nice in helping me and they did get someone there from maintenance to fix the problem quickly. I was so upset at the time that I didn't even think to take pictures! I do have the name and phone number of the cast member who documented the report.

I'll keep you posted.
Beth

[moosebug]

Don't threaten with a lawyer just yet. Most companies will cease all communication if you threaten to sue leaving all communication to be taken up between their lawyer and your lawyer. Don't get me wrong I think they should pay for any medical and give you a small compensation: ie a refund of part of your resort stay or a free hopper pass for your next visit. I think you can get more if you go about this on your own than with a lawyer unless you're going to court. I'm glad she's OK.

[DisOrBust]

That problem should not have exsisted in the first place. I would follow up not so much for money but so they can find out how such a problem even occured. I am glad she was ok.

Corndog you will understand when you have kids. As a parent we travel to WDW because it is clean and kid friendly. This is not kid friendly!

[kaitlynangel]

I don't agree that you should exclude considering a lawyer to write a letter to Disney, actually they may take you more seriously with a lawyer representing you. They would immediately refer it to their legal department and it would no longer be in the hands of customer service, which may not be in a position to offer you an appropriate settlement. I can't even imagine what kind of settlement would get the idea of almost having my child seriously injured out of my mind, but that is something between you and disney to settle on. I do wish for all our sakes that this incident will be the last and your following through will solidify that this incident will never happen to one of children. Like I said before I can not imagine what I woulg do if that happen to my 3 year old, it's too upsetting to even imagine. Good luck to you and thank you for taking the time to follow up, it helps us all in the end.

[SandraC]

Good Luck and I hope your dd is okay in the long run!

Kids are FAST. The other day I was at a community centre with 2 yo ds and he was holding with my keys. All of a sudden he darts for the wall outlet with the car key about to go in. I guess he was trying to start the wall. I jumped about 10 feet sideways to catch him. He's okay, but it happened soooo fast. How many times have we made a hot cup of coffee only to have kids bouncing into the room almost getting burned? One minute they weren't there the next second they are all over the place.

GOOD LUCK! Sandra

[AF Brenda]

I can't even imagine what kind of settlement would get the idea of almost having my child seriously injured out of my mind, but that is something between you and disney to settle on.

I guess this is the type of thinking I don't understand. I absolutely agree that the wire should never have been there, and I think that Disney should reimburse you for any and all medical expenses, wages lost taking DD to the doctor, etc. But I don't understand the thinking behind comped room, or free tickets.

I'm so glad that your DD was not seriously injured, and I think that you should get your expenses reimbursed. I just don't get the rest of it though.

[TinkerbellRules]

Corndog is absolutely WRONG! No one should leave a live wire, period! They are completely negligent especially when it involves children. A child cannot rationalize the effects of touching such a wire. Look at how many ADULTS touch live downed wires during storm, etc. The majority of the time, the jury would side with the child. It's kind of like the "attractive nuisance law" in my book (ie, concerning dogs and pools, etc, - owners responsibility when it comes to young children). Course, I'm no lawyer ;)

I'm so very glad your DD is okay. THat would be so very scary. THe least they can do is pay for all the bills. I would think they'd jump at the chance. Heck, when my DD banged her head on a end-cap at Walmart, they gave us ice and a bandage along with a free stuffed animal of her choice! It wasn't their fault. She was about 3-4 and decided to help them straighten up the shelf and ran into it instead.

I also agree about following up to see why/how this happened. It might just save the life of another child...

[gepetto]

Originally posted by corndog
This is not complete negligence on their part. There is certainly some contributory negligence on your part. Who allows their children to touch strange wires protruding from walls when you don't know what they are? Mean but true. I do hope your child is alright, though. This will probably be the last time she does that.

I agree with Corndog. Parents need to be responsible for their children. Accidents happen....even at Disney.

[Sleepy]

Being married to an electrician I find it hard to believe that a 6 inch wire would be hanging out of an electrical outlet. Sounds intentional to me. Was this wire hanging from around the cover plate?I just don't see how something like this could have been an accident by maintenance. Sounds intentional. Did you take pictures? This is very scary. When we were at Shades of Green last year one of the ground landscaping light cover had been knocked off (I guess broken) and the wires onthe inside were exposed. It was raining, so you can imagine what a nightmare that could be. It was very close to the pool. My husband freaks when he sees stuff like this. Oh, and I know how it is with children and electrical sockets......when I was very small I decided a pair of tweezers were perfect fit for the electrical socket. Quite a shock. My suggestion for future visits anywhere other than home would be check all outlets and maybe bring some safety covers. I know you should not have to do such a thing, but we have to keep our kiddos safe. I hope your daughter will not have prolonged injuries from this shock. Take care.

[B3LM]

Hi Sleepy,
You know that that thought did cross my mind - about it possibly being intentional because of how long the wire was. I honestly didn't study it very closely because I was so concerned about getting all of the kids away from that area and finding someone to take care of it. They were very prompt in getting it taking care of.

I had my camera, but I didn't even think to take pictures - you always think of those things afterward.

As far as corndog and gepetto's comments, we are very responsible parents and accidents do happen. That's why we have all of the outlets in our house covered with those plastic plugs and have had them that way since our oldest (8YO) was born.

I really want to follow-up with them to see that the incident did actually get reported to Guest Claims which is what I was told would happen. I do think Disney should cover any medical bills that we incur because of the accident.

Beth

[SamSam]

I'm so glad your daughter is going to be fine and sorry that such a thing happened in the first place, but I'm baffled by a six inch wire hanging out of an outlet. Dh and I are electrical contractors and that is the strangest thing I've ever heard of. Was the wall plate on and the wire actually sticking out of the outlet? It almost sounds like it had to be placed there.

I hope you get all your medical and any accompanying incidental expenses covered. Beyond that, I agree with a previous poster and don't understand any other comps.

[danacara]

I trust SamSam's professional appraisal of this one. Was there a wall plate? If there wasn't, could it be that your kid found a wire somewhere and stuck it in, and after the shock, he or she was embarrassed and didn't want to tell you? That would probably be Disney's defense, assuming this case actually made it to that point (it probably wouldn't, Disney would settle first). Kids do things like that. I stuck my radio antenna in the bottom tong of a wall outlet once when I was little, more to test fate than anything. I got a little shock. I was really embarrassed. Hey, these days I take electrical engineering classes, instead. LOL

I agree with AF Brenda about the comps. I have to say though, if you get a free stay out of this, I am giving my boyfriend a six inch wire and telling him to take one for the team next time we are at the Contemporary. ;)

[froglady]

If WDW was negligent, the family CERTAINLY deserves at LEAST some sort of comp ticket!, above the medical costs! Unless those of you who think they don't really enjoy spending your time at WDW in an ER, worried to death about your child! At the very least, they missed time at the park! And their DD will have that scar forever, as a souvenier. I would hope Disney would do the right thing and give them the opportunity to have positive, rather than negative, memories of Disney.


It also sounds like it was definitely an electrical wire....I don't usually have any packed in my luggage.....I'm not saying it's impossible that her daughter stuck the wire in, just that it sounds unlikely that she brought it....which meant someone left it lying around.

[Kay1]

I know that when you go to the parks, you agree to conduct any litigation in Florida - something to that effect is on your passes and AP's. I wonder if something similar is on the paper we sign at resorts. There is a law in Florida that states our attorneys can't represent you if they've done work for the person you are suing and Disney has hired a lot of Orlando attorneys to do small jobs for them, therefore there aren't a lot of attorneys to help you. I have no idea what will happen but I would simply send copies of the bills to the appropriate parties and go from there. I would never go up against Disney as they take loss prevention very seriously.

[tmli]

Danacara--you actually made me laugh out loud. I would definitely insist my husband take one for the team!
My ds decided to do a trick with two keys and an electrical outlet. Scared the **@@ out of me. He was out of my sight for 2 secs. Just long enough, kept the keys as a reminder. Glad to hear she's okay! My ds won't even plug in his gameboy now(after 31/2 years).

[LKS]

You would think that Disney, of all places, would cap their outlets. Some company needs to submit a proposal to sell Disney millions of those caps! My father was self-employed and after some child stuck the car keys in one of his waiting room outlets, you can bet they were all covered pronto. I would think that in the case of a child sticking keys in, there would be more parental responsibility, but still the businesses are the ones stuck paying the bills. That would have to happen a lot at Disney if none of their outlets are capped. Yikes!

[AF Brenda]

Unless those of you who think they don't really enjoy spending your time at WDW in an ER, worried to death about your child! At the very least, they missed time at the park!

I never saw anything about the ER, and I believe they were on their way to church, not the parks.

I agree that WDW needs to be reminded of this, because it is very dangerous, especially in a place where there are so many children. And, as I said, I agree that any and all medical costs should be covered by WDW. If WDW offers something else great. I just don't think that anyone should expect comps above and beyond expenses.

[froglady]

In rereading the original post, it appears that it was an outlet in a public area, not their room. (please clarify?)
What if someone visually impaired brushed against the wire, and was shocked & burned? Would it be their own fault? I wouldn't expect to find live wires out where anyone could touch them, except at a construction/renovation site...and I would keep my children away! IF this was a public area, Disney should have closed it off until the work was completed. If they THOUGHT the work was completed, and someone forget to cover the wire, Disney is responsible to take care of it, as a matter of customer relations, then go after the subcontractor.(if one was involved) They hired them in the first place, or the work was done by their own employees.


Don't worry about lawyers; Florida is FULL of personal injury attorneys.....many of whom would LOVE to take on Disney! ;)

[froglady]

Thank you, AF Brenda....I stand corrected! They didn't go to the ER (although I would have) and they were on their way to Mass being held IN the CR. I don't know if they planned on continuing on to the parks later. (just one of the reasons I asked for clarification) Also, it's not clear as to whether the wire was 1. typical electrical-type wire 2. sticking OUT of, rather than INTO the outlet...that would make a difference. (at least a little...it would indicate that someone, not neccessarily the child involved, had stuck it in there)

And, if WDW was negligent, I still feel (just my opinion) that the family deserves something for the distress this caused, and the child deserves something for the pain of the shock & burn....I'm not talking millions of dollars, just a comp ticket!

[B3LM]

OK, let me clarify a few things here. The electrical outlet did have a wall plate on it and it was right outside of the Fantasia ballroom at the Contemporary. Someone in a wheelchair could have easily backed into it and received serious injury. We think that it was a copper wire that was exposed because DD's skin turned green where the burns were. (I wondered why it was green, but my BIL said a copper wire would cause that.)

As I've said before, I'm really looking for them to cover the medical expenses and to be sure that they take measures to see that this kind of thing doesn't happen again. If they do something above and beyond that, that's nice but not expected.

Beth

[Edina]

About 10 years ago my SIL was having work done on her home. A board fell off the roof, struck her on the forehead causing her to get 5 stitches and a tiny scar near her hairline. The construction company paid all medical costs plus $ 10,000 compensation. The attorney said if she were younger and single she could have gotten twice that amount.

Disney IS responsible, they should compensate this child for pain and suffering, and it should be more than just medical costs. Froglady is correct, there would be lawyers jumping over each other to take this one on. Disney be thrilled to settle it for $10,000. It would be getting away cheap. They have to ensure that this NEVER happens again. Get a good PI attorney and have them write Disney.

[SamSam]

Beth, After reading these posts again it almost sounds like we're attacking you and I want to assure you that certainly wasn't my intention. At least for myself, I'm just so curious as to what a wire was doing sticking out of an outlet. I can't even begin to imagine why somone would leave a wire exposed like that! If you ever find out , please post and let everyone know.
I hope your daughter's going well and isn't too upset over the incident.

[BoyLovesBuzz]

Its a shame that everytime this kind of topic comes up it turns into a spitting match.

Get a lawyer.....dont't get a lawyer
Sue Disney...don't sue disney
Its thier fault....its your fault
You're a good parent......you're a bad parent.

Then we get the

well I'm lawyer...well I'm an EMS...well I'm a Hotel Manager for a major chain...well I'm an electrical contracter... well I'm pediatric health care specialist.....

It happens everytime!!!

I am not trying to speak for the poster, but I believe she came here looking for similar experiences, and how they may have been handled, and what action (not compensation) she may expect from Disney.

B3LM, I am sorry about your accident, I wish I had some advice, but I do not. I am very glad that your DD is alright. I'm sure that is was an extremely frightening experience. I hope that however it turns out, it is to your satisfaction.

[mrsltg]

OMG!!! You've hit the personal injury lottery! It could only have gotten better if somehow Michael Eisner was standing next to you when this happened because then you could name him personally in your suit! Imagine the paycheck???!!! Who needs $10,000??? Let's see how much they'll fork over!!!

Come on now, get real! Disney is most likely responsible for your medical bills... and that's it! Even that is a little ridiculous if your insurance covers everything. Yes, your DD got hurt. I feel very bad for her. What a bum way to spend a day of your vacation. However, this is LIFE. There aren't guarantees that it's always going to be sunshine and roses. Please, PLEASE, get over the idea of seeking monetary compensation. The last thing this world needs is another frivolous lawsuit.

And, before anyone jumps on me about "you'll understand when you're a parent"... I am a parent. And no, I can't be everywhere at once. I accept that fact and do my best to work around it. However, a 6 year-old is old enough to know not to touch an electrical socket.

IMHO...

Erin :)

[MinnieMe2]

Beth, I'm glad your little one is all right. As the mother of four, I feel lucky that our kids have made it to their teen years and adult hood. It's a scary, dangerous world, and no matter how careful we are, stuff happens. I hope you can let go of the negative comments regarding your parenting that some people have made. Either they've yet to have kids or they're "perfect". Must be nice....

And I think I'd feel much as you seem to feel. The important thing is that your daughter is okay. As far as Disney is concerned, they have to make the necessary repairs to prevent this from happening to anyone else. And it sounds like they were right on it. I'd follow up, just to make sure the i's are dotted and the t's are crossed. Since our insurance would cover medical expenses, I'd let it go at that. If you had out-of-pocket charges, things not covered by insurance, I'd ask for compensation. And if, in the overall scheme here, Disney offered free life-time unlimited passes to the family, I'd say, "Why not?" :D . But I certainly wouldn't expect or feel entitled to anything....

[B3LM]

Erin, I am very offended by your post. I NEVER said that I was seeking $10,000 in compensation either!
However, a 6 year-old is old enough to know not to touch an electrical socket.

I agree, my DD does know better than to play with an electrical outlet, but as I said before, I don't think she even realized where the wire was coming from. My DS was sitting in front of the outlet.

[supamaki]

What a bunch of snots some of you people are. This lady came her looking for some advice after a scary incident on vacation and some of the posters here told her that she may receive compensation from Disney as a form of CUSTOMER SATISFACTION!! Not as a lawsuit. "We are terribly sorry that this happened, how about a free visit to the parks next time you visit, or, we would love to have you stay at one of our resorts, no charge" Just to make them feel better. Not once did she come in and say she was suing Dsiney. Then some of you have the nerve to question her abilites as a parent.
Guess what, she is entitled to compensation, if she wanted to sue she has a case. Now she may, or may not pursue litigation, but that is up to her and her husband, no one else.

[gepetto]

Originally posted by supamaki

Guess what, she is entitled to compensation, if she wanted to sue she has a case.

How do you know that? Did you use your psychic powers?

[mrsltg]

B3LM... Sorry if I offended you. My post was not in response to anything that you have said, but rather to the issue that people seem to be making. Read back a few posts... it was suggested that you could make quite a few bucks off of this!

I agree that you should let Disney know what has happened. I don't agree that you should expect compensation. If you intend to let WDW know because you are concerned that this is something that happens often, then you are on the right page. My belief is that if you intend to let them know with the predisposition to contacting a lawyer and "getting something" out of it, then I think it's ridiculous. If Disney offers you a free stay, or a discounted something or other, GREAT! I certainly wouldn't force the issue though!

[Disneylvr]

Yes Disney is responsible and should of offered compensation for her daughter's medical expenses. Medical insurance shouldn't have to pay for a injury caused by the negligence of Disney's maintenance department. We are talking about a live wire exposed in a PUBLIC area of a resort hotel. What if a metal wheelchair had backed up into it? Even so, it doesn't matter how old and/or responsible the person is. The fact remains that the exposed live wire was a hazard and it was somewhere it shouldn't of been. Thank goodness her daughter wasn't more seriously injured because she very well could of received VERY serious burns or worse. Beth, I wish you the best of luck with this situation and I am glad your daughter is doing well.

[Christi 2002]

Beth,
In the short time (maybe 2 months) I have been reading this board I have noticed that you aren't the first one to post a simply question asking for a phone # or something and get attacked. There seem to be a lot of good people out there that can offer helpful suggestions, unfortunately they are over shadowed by spitefull people. It has happened on almost every subject. Using pools at different resorts, PS's, holding places in line.....I could go on, but it seems so ridiculous in the overall scheme of life. If you don't know the answer to someone's question....resist the urge to be mean, just move on! Please. It seems like a lot of wasted time and energy. I have 3 children myself and we are staying at the Contemporary in a few months, I sure hope they get this problem taken care of. I had a question/complaint and I emailed disney (email on their website) it took two weeks, but they did get back to me. And I was happy with the result. Just be patient they will get in touch.
Christi :)

[ryanpatricksmom]

Beth,
My suggestion would be to phone the resort directly and ask to speak to the hotel manager. I would let them know that you have not been contacted since the incident, and let them know about your additional out-of-pocket expenses. I would be sure to ask the manager who to pursue this with, which lets him/her know that you intend to stay informed until you achieve satisfaction. I certainly understand and appreciate your primary motive.
Kelli
p.s. I love Disney as much as the next guy, but come on folks sometimes it really is their fault! This is not a slip and fall artist looking for a quick buck, this is a family on vacation that is trying to help all of us by preventing similar incidents in the future. Beth never suggested that she wanted to retire as a result of her child's injury, she just asked that they care!

[supamaki]

QUOTE]How do you know that? Did you use your psychic powers?[/QUOTE]

No it's called negligence. Way to prove my point about the snotty people here.

[Edina]

Beth is being much more forgiving than most would, and should be commended for her attitude. It's appalling that people would sooner blame a child, or her parents for this accident than Disney for leaving a dangerous live wire exposed in a public hallway. This just goes to show how misguided some of this Dis loyalty is.

You better believe that if something causes my child to be burned and shocked (Has anyone ever experienced a shock bad enough to burn you?), I would expect more than a bandage and an apology (I don't even think she got an apology). That was a frightening and VERY painful experience. The LEAST they can do is cover medical costs, and should certainly do more.

God forbid if some of the "Disney can do no wrong" contingent have to actually admit that their beloved WDW can make a mistake and cause pain and injury to a child. Amazing.

[AF Brenda]

p.s. I love Disney as much as the next guy, but come on folks sometimes it really is their fault! This is not a slip and fall artist looking for a quick buck, this is a family on vacation that is trying to help all of us by preventing similar incidents in the future. Beth never suggested that she wanted to retire as a result of her child's injury, she just asked that they care!

I agree, it is Disney's fault, and I agree that it is commendable that Beth is following up in order to ensure that this doesn't happen to another child. And I agree that she should be reimbursed for her expenses. If Disney were to offer more, I think that would be great too.

I should have been clearer in my comments, so that people would understand that I'm not directing them towards Beth, but more to the people that are recommending lawsuits, settlements, etc. While Disney should most certainly reimburse the expenses, and correct the problem, I don't see how they are responsible for anything more than that.

God forbid if some of the "Disney can do no wrong" contingent have to actually admit that their beloved WDW can make a mistake and cause pain and injury to a child. Amazing.

I haven't seen any such crowd, rather I've seen people with different ideas about how much compensation is enough. I have my opinion, you have yours.

[gepetto]

[i]

No it's called negligence. [/B]

How could you possibly determine that she has a legitimate case against Disney based on a brief post on a message board? An attorney would look at incident reports and medical records before making that determination. That's why I asked if you were using your psychic powers.

[ryanpatricksmom]

I hesitate to get into the fray here but...
The issue is not, nor ever has been, what the result of potential litigation would be. The issue is whether Disney will make a wrong, right. The fact that an injury occured, and that a maintenance repair was immediately required as a result, is enough information to suggest that someone goofed big-time!You would never knowingly check into hotel with children in tow, that had exposed wiring, would you? Whether Disney should be held legally negligent is a matter for the courts to decide, if Beth chooses to pursue legal remedy. While the outcome of a suit cannot be determined by reading a short posting on a message board, it doesn't take a psychic to know that Beth does have the right to sue if she chooses.
I applaud Beth's attitude. She is not looking to capitalize on her daughter's misfortune, but rather, to draw Disney's attention to a huge mistake on their part. It sounds to me as if how far she pursues the matter depends on how they respond, not how deep their pockets are.
We should not get caught up in a debate regarding a potential lawsuit, that is not the issue. We should however, agree that Disney is accountable, like any other business, and expect that they will respond appropriately.

[supamaki]

I was looking at the facts that she presented. I wasn't acting as judge or jury, just saying that based upon the facts as were presented she has a case.

[Edina]

Originally posted by gepetto

"How could you possibly determine that she has a legitimate case against Disney based on a brief post on a message board? An attorney would look at incident reports and medical records before making that determination. That's why I asked if you were using your psychic powers. "

It doesn't take more than a minimal amount of common sense to realize that she has a legitimate case. One needn't have a J.D. to figure this one out. There was an exposed electrical wire for crying out loud! Lawsuit or not, Disney is most definitely responsible. If they aren't, then who is? And please, don't even attempt to insinuate that the parents are again, as that's just plain ludicrous. The wire was a danger, and should not have been left like that. Period.

[AllyandJack]

In order for Disney to actually be negligent, you would have to show that they 1. knew of the problem and 2. they had a reasonable time to fix it and didn't. There is also a bunch of stuff about strict liability for an unreasonably dangerous condition that you would have to prove, but I don't know if FL adopted that standard, so I'll just shut up now! That's the J.D. in me talking.

Having said that, the human in me says this....I think you should contact them and find out what they plan to do about it since you filed a report and didn't hear anything back. Tell them you have medical expenses that your insurance didn't cover. Once your insurance finds out that someone else MIGHT have been somewhat at fault, they probably won't pay. If Disney doesn't pay the medical expenses, I'd find an attorney who will take it on a contingent basis, so you don't have any fees and see if you can get your medical bills paid.

I also think it would be nice if Disney did something for your DD....a autograph of Mickey or something. I got sick there one time and they gave me an oatmeal cookie....and I wasn't even sick due to anything they did, they just felt bad that one of their guests was sick.

Finally....sometime in October, I was walking through the streets of Boston. I was on a pedestrian walkway in the middle of a Big Dig construction site. I fell in a small hole and tore ligaments in my ankle. I submitted all the stuff to my insurance, but set out to find out who owned the property in the event my insurance didn't pay. Nobody could tell me who owned that property. Apparently, the City of Boston doesn't know who owns the land. When my insurance company called, I didn't tell them about the hole, I simply said, "I was walking down the street and I fell. I was clumsy." It's sad that honest people have to lie just to get the bare minimum. People all over told me to sue....I just wanted my medical bills paid. I don't think there's anything wrong with someone getting their medical bills paid by someone else who, wasn't necessarily NEGLIGENT under the laws, but maybe simply did something wrong and stupid, as might be the case with Disney here....they COULD be negligent, but they might have just been dumb.

And it wouldn't cost anything but postage to send the kid a picture of The Mouse.

I hope your next trip to WDW is better and I hope you get DD's medical bills paid so you don't have to battle with your insurance company. There's nothing worse than being sick and scared and having to deal with that crap.

Good luck with everything!

[gepetto]

Originally posted by Edina


It doesn't take more than a minimal amount of common sense to realize that she has a legitimate case. One needn't have a J.D. to figure this one out. There was an exposed electrical wire for crying out loud!

And just think of those poor people that wasted time and money attending law school. :rolleyes: And all of the money that's just wasted every year on attorney's fees. All we need is some dude off the street with "a minimal amount of common sense" to give us legal advice.

[Trekker]

This is done!

It has run it's course and is no longer a post about Walt Disney World Resorts.

There are more posts on this thread that are violations of the posting guidelines (http://www.wdwinfo.com/guidelines.htm) that I'd like to admit.