(KTLA) — One woman who visited Disney California Adventure back in April 2022 is now suing the resort, alleging that she suffered from severe injuries after a cast member dressed as Goofy fell on her, according to a new lawsuit.
Katrina Griffin visited DCA on April 3, 2022, with her daughter. The lawsuit claims that when Griffin was bending over to tie her daughter’s shoes, a Disney cast member dressed as Goofy “walked directly” into her, and she fell onto the “hard cement.”
The cast member wearing the Goofy costume reportedly fell onto Griffin with “all of his body weight,” which resulted in “severe, traumatic, debilitating, and permanent injuries that necessitated significant medical care as well as emotional pain and suffering.”
The lawsuit, filed in Orange County Superior Court in late March, didn’t specifically describe Griffin’s injuries.
Griffin is suing Disneyland Resort, the person in the Goofy costume, and the cast member who worked as Goofy’s “handler.”
At Disney parks, cast members wearing full-character costumes are accompanied by another cast member who ensures they interact safely with guests.
For characters who don’t speak, such as Goofy, during character interactions, the other cast members are responsible for speaking with guests, acting as the character’s “translator” of sorts.
KTLA reached out to Disneyland Resort but didn’t hear back in time for publication.
The lawsuit didn’t name the two cast members and referred to them as “John Doe 1” and “John Doe 2” in the suit.
Griffin claims the handler failed to prevent the collision between her and Goofy. She is also requesting a jury trial to pursue damages related to health care bills and loss of earnings.
Griffin is also seeking damages for negligence and saying her injuries “will result in some permanent disability.”
A case management conference is scheduled for Sept. 4.
This isn’t the only lawsuit filed against the entertainment company this year. In March, maintenance workers at its Southern California hotels accused the company of underpaying them.
