A Florida jury has ordered the company responsible for the FreeFall drop tower ride to pay $310 million in damages to the family of Tyre Sampson, the 14-year-old who tragically died after falling from the ride at Icon Park in Orlando in March 2022. The verdict follows a civil lawsuit filed by the Sampson family.

The ride was found to have been unsafe for Sampson, with officials determining that he was too large for the seat, which had been manually adjusted to accommodate him. The tragic incident led to the ride being permanently shut down.

In the aftermath, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed the “Tyre Sampson Act,” implementing stricter safety standards for amusement park rides. Among the new regulations, rides over 100 feet in height are now required to have both seat belts and harnesses, must undergo inspections by independent regulatory bodies, and operators must report accidents without delay. Additionally, any modifications to rides, such as changes to restraints or sensors, must be properly documented and justified. The state now has the authority to impound rides deemed unsafe.

The Sampson family had already reached a confidential settlement with the park in 2023, the details of which were not disclosed. Following the jury’s ruling, attorneys Ben Crump and Natalie Jackson issued a statement, expressing gratitude for the verdict and continuing their fight for justice in amusement park safety.

” A Florida jury has ordered the company responsible for the FreeFall drop tower ride to pay $310 million in damages to the family of Tyre Sampson, the 14-year-old who tragically died after falling from the ride at Icon Park in Orlando in March 2022. The verdict follows a civil lawsuit filed by the Sampson family.

The ride was found to have been unsafe for Sampson, with officials determining that he was too large for the seat, which had been manually adjusted to accommodate him. The tragic incident led to the ride being permanently shut down.

In the aftermath, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed the “Tyre Sampson Act,” implementing stricter safety standards for amusement park rides. Among the new regulations, rides over 100 feet in height are now required to have both seat belts and harnesses, must undergo inspections by independent regulatory bodies, and operators must report accidents without delay. Additionally, any modifications to rides, such as changes to restraints or sensors, must be properly documented and justified. The state now has the authority to impound rides deemed unsafe.

The Sampson family had already reached a confidential settlement with the park in 2023, the details of which were not disclosed. Following the jury’s ruling, attorneys Ben Crump and Natalie Jackson issued a statement, expressing gratitude for the verdict and continuing their fight for justice in amusement park safety.

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