Brayden Cooper-Douglas, then 12-years-old, died while riding the Hoosier Hurricane, a roller coaster at Indiana Beach. Shaeley Cooper and Matthew Douglas, Brayden’s parents, filed suit against Apex Parks Groups, which owns Indiana Beach, and claimed Indiana Beach had a duty “to use ordinary care and diligence to keep and maintain said premises in a condition reasonably safe for its intended uses and free from all defects and conditions which would render the premises dangerous and unsafe.” The lawsuit goes on to claim that “negligence of the defendant was the proximate cause of the fatal injuries.”
Days after Brayden died, family members of a 12-year-old girl came forward and claimed that she had to go to the emergency room after she received a shock when she tried to lift the restraining bar to get off the Hoosier Hurricane. In that case, the girl’s aunts said she was in pain and had trouble breathing. The doctors ran a blood test and EKG and determined their niece had suffered an electric shock. According to Brayden’s autopsy, his death remains “undetermined.” The Hoosier Hurricane opened in 1994 as Indiana’s first wooden roller coaster build in 50 years and can reach speeds of 51 mph.
When someone is injured or dies after an accident, financial recovery may be available. Such recovery is particularly important when permanent, life changing injuries are incurred. It is important to contact someone who understands the intricacies of the injured party’s right to recover.
Abraham Watkins offers a free consultation to anyone wishing to pursue a claim for such injuries or fatalities.