Six Flags Amusement Park Lawsuit Settled Confidentially

A Six Flags lawsuit filed on behalf of a teenager whose feet were cut off while on a roller coaster last summer, has settled out of court for an undisclosed sum of money.

On June 21, 2007, 13 year-old Kaitlyn Lasitter was riding the Superman Tower of Power at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom when her feet were severed by an old cable that fatigued and broke.

As a result of the roller coaster injury, Lasitter has undergone at least four surgeries and incurred medical expenses of about $500,000. Doctors were able to reattach her right foot and her left foot has been fitted with a prosthesis.

The amusement park lawsuit alleged that Six Flags was negligent in failing to properly inspect, maintain and operate the ride. The park workers failed to follow the ride’s manual for detecting problems with the cable and failed to stop the ride when the cable broke.

Investigations by state officials found that the roller coaster injury could have been limited to cuts and scrapes if the Six Flags employee had immediately hit the emergency stop button.

Although the terms of the settlement were not disclosed, The Courier-Journal, in Louisville, Kentucky, reports that Six Flags lawyers suggested that the settlement will provide “lifetime care” for Lasitter.

The trial was scheduled to begin in January 2010, but the family elected to settle since they anticipated that the date would be postponed and the case also could have been tied up for years on appeal.