Florida family seeks $27M from resort in wrongful death suit

A Florida couple has filed a lawsuit against an Orlando-area resort after their 11-year-old daughter was killed while playing miniature golf during a family vacation. The lawsuit accuses the resort was negligent in installing and improperly repairing several water pumps, electrical breakers and wiring, which led to their daughter's fatal electrocution. The family is seeking $27 million in damages.

Wrongful death lawsuits allow the families of individuals killed due to the negligent or illegal actions of other parties to seek money compensating them for the pain and grief caused by their loss. The plaintiffs in this case claim the resort "violated the law and building code" in attempt to save money, which directly led to the victim's death. The family says they suffered both physical and emotional harm after seeing the young girl die.

According to the lawsuit, the victim was playing miniature golf at the resort when she hit her ball into a nearby pond. When the girl reached into the water to retrieve the ball, she was fatally electrocuted. An onlooker was also shocked when he tried to help the girl, but no resort employees provided any assistance. The girl's body could only be taken from the water when the resort cut power to the pond.

The lawsuit contends that the resort's parent, a "billion dollar company," failed to obtain the permit required to install a water pump and delegated the task to an unlicensed worker, rather than hire a professional. Additionally, the plaintiffs contend that the company did not have the work formally inspected as required by law. The family's attorney argued that the company purposefully overlooked these measures in attempt to save money and cut corners. "[I]t's all about greed," he asserted.

Source: Times Union, "Claim seeks $27M in girl's death," Paul Nelson, Aug. 22, 2012