Tanna Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 Teen has leg amputated: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/11658881/Alton-Towers-reopens-six-days-after-The-Smiler-crash-live.html Park re-opens, X-Sector to remain closed: http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/jun/07/alton-towers-to-partially-reopen-after-rollercoaster-crash-as-litigation-begins Smiler may be stripped of record: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/alton-towers-accident-smiler-could-5844062 I was hoping it was just bad press and media speculation, but someone lost their limb. When something like this happens, and I know it sounds childish, but there's an inner voice I have that says "not fair!", like it's all part of a game that can be re-rolled. What a misery for that poor girl. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RollerNut Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 On a positive note, she can still "walk" away. However it could gracious of Merlin Enterainment to ensure she would walk away. ("Walk" in quotations meaning lived thought a terrible accident, I would like to see Merlin Enterainment voluntary step up and do what is need to ensure the young lady can walk again. My original statement was apparently deemed offensive on another forum however I see it as a well wish.) 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanna Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 I understand what you saying. Every so once in a while, the news does an interview with Kaitlyn Lassiter, the girls that got hurt on the Six Flags Ky Superman Tower of Power. She has a very strong, positive outlook on life, despite the fact that she knows every few years she faces operations to adjust her feet. It would just be sweet if no one ever had to go through things like that. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Existential Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 Good luck that girl. Don't know her...but thankfully she is still around. Get her a kickass lower body extremity Alton, and the best one on the market. I'd be back on the Smiler day one if they treated me right. And fixed whatever wrong was in their system, ride, training. Nothing goes further than fixing an extreme mistake ten-fold. Do it right you clowns. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 About which: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/alton-towers-crash-amputee-leah-5850843 Sigh. Know that The Mirror is a tabloid. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FutureThrills Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 Leah should get a sum of money that should set her for life. This is no mere scratch. She lost a leg which not only affects her now or tomorrow, but her whole life. It really is life altering and I pray that her strength carries her through her injuries. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IBEW_Sparky Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 A happening like this, would mentally screw me up in a major way, likely forever. The primary thought that would remain in my head would be "Enjoying the hobby that makes (made in my case) happier than anything else, just changed my body and my Life forever in a very negative way". I know, it would be a LONG time before I was a person anyone would want to be around. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 Money. I'm sure she'd rather have her leg back than ANY amount of money. Period. 18 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsus Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 The money will help her live her life as she will now have a much more difficult time providing for herself. That said, as has been mentioned, this will stick with her for the rest of her life. When they say life-changing injuries, they mean it. There will be things she can't do. She will likely have PTSD, meaning she'll relive the accident. For a long time. It's not pleasant, and it's certainly not peaceful. The money will help her live her life. It won't erase the pain. She would be much happier indeed had this accident never happened. And it certainly should not have, thus the likely compensation amounts. One can only hope that some major lessons will come out of this accident that will be used to only further improve safety across the industry. This should not have happened. May she receive compensation necessary to live a comfortable life, but yes, no amount of money can bring back your natural leg and erase the memories. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheCandyManCan Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 The hardest part is now getting a prosthetic. Above knee amputations are much harder to create and work with compared to below the knee amputations. At least over there I'm hoping all costs associated will be handled by their health care system. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 ...which then will look for reimbursement from Merlin, whose actions and/or negligence arguably caused the expense. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oldiesmann Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 As far as that Mirror article goes - of course the lawyer's going to brag about how much money the park could be sued for - all while dreaming about how much she could make in such a case. I also find it funny how they mentioned that the lawyer managed to get a ton of money for a rape victim, which has absolutely nothing to do with the situation at hand. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanna Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 The hardest part is now getting a prosthetic. Above knee amputations are much harder to create and work with compared to below the knee amputations. At least over there I'm hoping all costs associated will be handled by their health care system. That was in my mind, too. The above the knee amputation is very difficult for prosthetics. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IBEW_Sparky Posted June 11, 2015 Share Posted June 11, 2015 Could you even fathom being the Surgeon who had to perform that? I mean, I know they desensitize themselves to the things they do in their jobs, but still. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RailRider Posted June 11, 2015 Share Posted June 11, 2015 Something else I just realized and in no way am I trying to overlook this poor girls situation and long road ahead, but... Once she does recover (hopefully fully and begins functioning with her prosthetic) which is an insanely long and grueling road ahead. She will be unable to ride roller coasters and many other rides of amusement. While I know that is probably something she would never want to do again because of this event. Still most rides have a policy preventing prosthetics limbs on rides. Had a family friend who lost both legs, one below and one above the knee, the recovery process is painful and something that never stops. He was able to walk and even drive again, but suffered almost every day after the loss of his legs. Phantom pain was a huge issue, which eventually led to a dependence on very strong pain killer, eventually having to kick that addiction and learning to just function with the pain. Money will not make this process any easier or better for this young lady. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steph88 Posted June 11, 2015 Share Posted June 11, 2015 If she lost BOTH legs above the knee she would be unable to ride. But I think (and hope) she only had one leg amputated. Still, she may not want to ride coasters again. Or she may want to, just not in the front. Who knows? Such a sad situation. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FoF96" Posted June 11, 2015 Share Posted June 11, 2015 It all depends on the type of restraint system/ manufacturer guidelines. For example: Thunder Run could accommodate 1 prosthetic hand and 1 leg. Lightning Run did not allow any prosthetic limbs due to the intensity and restraint design, it would all depend on the ride. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/583831/Alton-Towers-crash-Octonauts-ride-evacuated-days-after-Smiler-tragedy 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted June 14, 2015 Share Posted June 14, 2015 http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/alton-towers-smiler-crash-victim-joe-pugh-speaks-of-anger-over-accident-for-first-time-10318665.html 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheCandyManCan Posted June 14, 2015 Share Posted June 14, 2015 I'm just waiting on the verdict of what caused this. I'm slowly leaning towards operator error, but I'll withhold all judgement until official facts are in 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcgoble3 Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/alton-towers-smiler-crash-victim-joe-pugh-speaks-of-anger-over-accident-for-first-time-10318665.html The last paragraph of that is a bit shocking. Merlin, the park's owner, is actually recommending that the injured guests sue them? I don't get that at all. I know the British legal system is different from the American system, but I can't fathom how that could be a good thing for the potential defendant to say in ANY legal system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 They are trying to avoid criminal charges, which may still be forthcoming. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsus Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 Without knowing the intricacies of the British legal system, it sounds to me more like a promise to settle, providing fair and just compensation. Likely to *avoid* a lawsuit. Jail time is likely a separate matter once HSE and any other investigations have completed. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oldiesmann Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/alton-towers-crash-failsafes-that-should-have-kept-the-smiler-carriages-apart-did-not-work-10293639.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 Please note the date on that article. "Teething problems"? Please. What an utterly stoopid thing to say. Because of "teething problems," a young lady lost her leg. Disgusting. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsus Posted June 16, 2015 Share Posted June 16, 2015 Please note the date on that article. "Teething problems"? Please. What an utterly stoopid thing to say. Because of "teething problems," a young lady lost her leg. Disgusting. Hmm, was the ride teething on her leg? I mean no jokes, I simply do not understand how a ride that not only was designed and tested virtually, but tested in the real-world, then run without accident for multiple years could possibly have "teething problems". That's like saying that you should expect your car to start developing issues after you've had it a couple years. Uh, no.. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RollerNut Posted June 16, 2015 Share Posted June 16, 2015 Teething problems? What would have teeth other than the anti-rollbacks? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
electricsun Posted June 16, 2015 Share Posted June 16, 2015 "The Smiler is a relatively new ride, all rides have teething problems when they open." Does it need to settle? Break in? Rotate the wheels every 6,000 miles? Oil change overdue? Or just past its nap time? Wowzer! Unbelievable. But in seriousness, to chalk this up to some sort of "normal" expected issues for a new ride is absurd. I've been on several rides in their first few years, and I don't think the parks would have thought two trains crashing into each other as normal and expected. I sure don't. Welp, looks like this teething problem is going to bite them in the bum. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheCandyManCan Posted June 16, 2015 Share Posted June 16, 2015 Well I will say the teething problems are probably them discussing the early stuff the ride encountered (shutdowns/etc) and that stuff is warranted. I can't read the article, it keeps timing out, probably my bad connection Also, Smiler doesn't have anti rollbacks in the traditional sense. Eddy current brakes are quite dominant on the structure 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted June 16, 2015 Share Posted June 16, 2015 http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/alton-towers-smiler-probe-investigate-5878299 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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