Jury Awards Woman $7.25 Million After Injury On ‘Harry Potter’ Ride At Universal Studios Hollywood

A California court has awarded 74-year-old Pamela Morrison $7.25 million after she suffered a devastating injury at the Wizard World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Hollywood.

According to court documents, Morrison took a trip with her grandson in September 2022 to the theme park, and she was asked to get off the Harry Potter and The Forbidden Journey ride after her harness failed to buckle. She then slipped after she tried to step from the moving walkway and onto solid ground, resulting in a fracture to her lower back and a significant tear in the muscles around her hip.

Morrison described the fall: “The belt was still moving, and so my foot went on the belt, and then my other foot went on the stationary floor, and it knocked me off my feet.”

The plaintiff sought monetary damages for “various acts of negligence (including premise liability and negligent hiring and supervision) resulting in multiple and severe injuries to plaintiff while she visited the premises at defendants’ amusement park – Universal Studios in Los Angeles, CA.”

“As a lawful invitee and guest at Universal Studios,” the report continued, “Mrs. Morrison sustained these life-changing injuries when she fell at the Harry Potter ride, which was negligently operated, maintained, and otherwise controlled by Defendants, its employees, agents, and co-venturers.”

Lawyers for Universal argued that Morrison “failed to use and exercise, for her protection, the proper care and precautions reasonably prudent for people under the same or similar exercises would have exercised.” This was based on the video showing Morrison’s attention being focused on her grandson instead of where she was stepping, and lawyers stated that she was at fault for the accident.

Morrison was granted $250,000 in economic damages, $2 million in past noneconomic damages, and $5 million in future noneconomic damages.