When one thinks of major American multinationals, a few come easily to mind, McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, and Walt Disney. In their own rights, all three have grown from American Institutions to international corporate powerhouses. Another thing these three have in common is that they have had their fair share of legal controversy, from coffee being too hot at McDonald’s to alleged racial discrimination within the workforce at Coca-Cola and recently, a wrongful death suit filed against several Disney entities or partners.
South Carolina workers’ compensation attorneys note that suit was filed because of an on the job injury that resulted in a worker’s death 20 days after the accident. The victim’s family filed the suit in Orange County, Florida circuit court. It seeks damages in excess of $15,000, free of interest and costs.
The four-count suit filed names Reedy Creek Energy Services, Reedy Creek Improvement District, Disney Photo Imaging, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts U.S., Inc., and Tishman Hotel & Realty and Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. as defendants.
According to the Orlando Sentinel, a spokesman for Disney said they have received the complaint and would “respond as appropriate through the court system.”
According to the lawsuit, the man fatally injured was with a team handling a planned upgrade of Reedy Creek’s power distribution system, the work involved two substations adjacent to the Swan Hotel Walt, apart of the Disney Swan and Dolphin Resort. The suit also claims the operation was capable of providing power to The Swan hotel with just one of the substations powered up.
When the 54-year-old worker arrived at the job site, the suit claims, he did not know the substation switch wasn’t grounded and the upper components of the switch “remained energized.” He came into contact with the energized switch and was electrocuted, which resulted in his on the job injury and eventual death.
Among other problems, the suit claims Reedy Creek Improvement District failed to supervise, direct, and control the distribution system upgrade work by not powering down the unit or providing a safety barrier for the worker. Reedy Creek Energy Services, allegedly, breached its duty to the worker by knowingly engaging in conduct that could place the worker in danger and at risk of serious injury or death. The suit claims Walt Disney World Co. also breached its duty to the worker by failing to warn the worker of energized and unprotected electrical equipment of which the worker was not aware.
