A Florida jury awarded $310 million Thursday to the family of Tyre Sampson, the 14-year-old Missouri teen who fell to his death from an Orlando amusement park ride in March 2022, following just an hour of deliberation.
The civil verdict against Austrian ride manufacturer Funtime Handels GMBH marks one of the largest settlements in amusement park history. “This verdict is a step forward in holding corporations accountable for the safety of their products,” said family attorney Ben Crump. “The jury’s decision confirms what we have long argued: Tyre’s death was the result of blatant negligence and a failure to prioritize safety over profits.”
Sampson, visiting ICON Park during spring break with his football team, weighed 383 pounds—nearly 100 pounds over the ride’s weight limit. The lawsuit noted the free-fall attraction had no seat belts when the teen fell at least 100 feet to his death.
The damages will be split equally between Sampson’s parents, who previously reached an undisclosed settlement with ICON Park and ride operator Eagle Drop Slingshot. Funtime Handels did not send representatives to court, and no attorney was listed in court records.
The tragedy prompted safety reforms, with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signing the Tyre Sampson Act in May 2023 to strengthen amusement ride safety standards. The ride has since been dismantled.
