The family of Rosa Esparza, who died July 19 when she fell while riding the Texas Giant rollercoaster at Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington, sued the amusement ride theme park Tuesday for wrongful death and negligence.
The lawsuit, filed in Tarrant County District Court by prominent Dallas trial lawyer Frank Branson, accuses Dallas-based Six Flags of knowing “for decades the real risks and extreme dangers” posed by some of their rides but not doing anything to make them safer.
The complaint, which seeks in excess of $1 million in actual damages plus punitive damages, points to five other tragic incidents on rides at Six Flags during the past 25 years.
“Instead of making their rides safer, Six Flags continually pushes the envelope, building extreme roller coasters that are bigger, faster and more dangerous,” Branson states in the lawsuit. “Most egregious of all, Six Flags continues to be reactive, rather than proactive with regard to common sense safety systems and operations.”
Branson says that Six Flags knew 25 years ago “in the absence of a safety belt, passengers bear a greater risk of being ejected” from its roller coasters.
Bryan Pope, a shareholder at Vincent Lopez Serafino Jevevein in Dallas, is reportedly representing Six Flags. Pope has successfully represented numerous amusement parks over his 28-year career and was recently elected president of the International Amusement and Leisure Defense Association.