A man who was jumping on a trampoline/bungee jump experience on a Royal Caribbean ship is suing the cruise line after he fell from the ride, breaking his pelvis.
Casey Holladay now uses a walker and faces months of rehabilitation after having to undergo several surgeries to repair damage after he fell from Royal Caribbean's Mariner of the Seas SkyPad last month, WTVJ reported.
The SkyPad is called a "Bungee trampoline experience" where jumpers wear a virtual-reality device and wear a harness that lets them jump and do flips, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported.
Holladay said he was enjoying the experience until he crashed 20 feet to the deck of the ship.
"I just felt the momentum release from my body that I wasn't being held by anything anymore. When I hit all I really remember is the hit and the noise and the fear," Holladay told WTVJ.
Holladay said the ship cut its trip short, taking him back to Miami where he had to undergo surgery to repair a broken pelvis and have a dislocated shoulder treated, spending nine days in the hospital before being able to return to his girlfriend's home in Sarasota, Florida, the Sun-Sentinel reported.
He's from Washington state, according to the newspaper.
Right now, he has to use a walker or a wheelchair as he recovers from his injuries.
He told the television station that it has been a major change to his life, for a man who used to snowboard, wakeboard and hike.
"My life got changed without me having a say. I am fearful that I am not going to be able to enjoy the day-to-day like I'm used to," he told WTVJ.
Holladay has filed suit against Royal Caribbean. His attorney said the injury should never have happened and that the cruise line gave no warnings about the SkyPad and did not inspect or maintain the ride's support ropes, WTVJ reported. Holladay is asking for $10 million, the Sun-Sentinel reported.
"These are activities that were designed to be operated on land by experienced amusement park operators. They really do not have the experience to do a proper analysis of the safety risks putting these types of activities on a cruise ship," Holladay's attorney, Brett Rivkind, told WTVJ.
Royal Caribbean was asked about the suit, but only said, via email to WTVJ, "We operate all our ships safely, professionally and responsibly. We do not comment on pending litigation."
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