Suit filed for worker fatality at Lake Compounce

Ok this is a similiar situation to the recent rash of injuries and fatalities ... how do you possibly not hear the train coming? Roller coasters aren't quiet, you'd think if you hear that roar coming at you you'd duck or at least look for where it's coming from? And what ever happened to accidents ... there's always someone else to blame (someone that has money) for everything isnt there ...

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Steel - #1 Mantis, #2 Millie, #3 Wicked Twister
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"how do you possibly not hear the train coming?"

I think that's exactly the point. The man was mowing the lawn which ussualy isn't a very quiet activity. If he couldn't hear the train coming and was put into a potentialy hazardous situation with which he was unfamiliar, without the proper guide and/or training, then yes the park could be held responsible.

The landscapers family is going to lose in court very badly. The attorney must be doing this suit pro bono. It's not the job of the maintnence workers to check the ride area before operating the ride. However the man mowing the lawn is responsible for locking out the ride will inside the ride kill zone. Only way the park could be held responsible is if they did not supply lock out-tag outs for the landscapers.

motionman: Read the old story... the park was found responsible for everything you describe and fined by OSHA. If the park has any sense they'll settle out of court. OSHA's investigation found that the landscapers were not able to lock out the ride and did not have the right procedures in place.

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Jeff - Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com, Sillynonsense.com
"We used to hate people, now we just make fun of them. It's more effective that way." - KMFDM, "Dogma"

Jeff is 100% correct. The park did not have or did not follow proper procedures as required by law. The evidence and the OSHA ruling on this one make it a slam dunk.

I have a question....I don't understand how he was struck in the head, and while trimming or mowing? Did he have his head up, in between the track? Where was he trimming or mowing for his head to be struck by a testing Boulderdash train? I've read some of the news stories, but I'm still unsure how this incident happened.

I've heard conflicting stories about the exact body position of the victem. I've heard that his head was actually sticking up throught the tracks, but I don't know that that's correct. He was also performing a job, weed whacking, that causes you to bend over leaning forward. If he was cutting weeds under the track this could quite possibly have caused him to extend his head over the track to see what he was cutting.