Disney admits liability in wrongful death lawsuit

[Isaac]

Disney admitted that the death of Marcelo Torres was caused by maintenance and mechanical failures on the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad as a condition of the settlement of the wrongful death lawsuit brought by his family.

"Mr. and Mrs. Torres believed their son was going to the 'happiest place on Earth,' an image that Walt Disney struggled to establish," said Wylie Aitken, a Santa Ana lawyer representing the family. "It has been difficult for the family to accept that of all places, Disneyland would be responsible for the needless death of their son."

Disney made the same admission in 2003 after a state safety investigation concluded that mechanical failure and poorly trained mechanics and ride operators had caused the accident.

"We deeply regret that the tragic accident occurred and are terribly saddened by the grievous pain this caused the Torres family," Rob Doughty, spokesman for Anaheim, California-based Disneyland, said in a statement.

The public admission of liability was unusual for Disney, which is known for aggressively defending itself against lawsuits over theme park accidents.
Terms of the settlement were confidential but Torres' parents announced the establishment of an arts scholarship at Brooks College, Torres's alma mater.

He had hoped to become an animator, his parents said.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20051202/...ney_lawsuit_dc