Joanne Aguilar: Family alleges Disneyland employees laughed at disabled woman, 66, before fatal fall
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA: A wrongful death lawsuit filed against Disneyland alleges that the theme park's employees laughed at a 66-year-old disabled woman before she suffered a fall that eventually led to her tragic death. Joanne Aguilar died in January 2022 from septic shock, just five months after she fell backward while exiting the jungle cruise ride and broke her leg.
The federal lawsuit was filed by Aguilar’s two daughters, Andrea Maullul and Zenobia Hernandez in California on November 18, 2022, for wrongful death and violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. In the court documents, the pair alleged that Aguilar's horrific injury at the park caused her death. They are also asking Disneyland to pay "all past economic damages," including medical costs, burial and funeral expenses, attorney fees, and all other incidental damages, according to DailyMail.
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As per the lawsuit, the incident occurred on August 22, 2021, when Aguilar and her two daughters visited Anaheim Park for a family trip. Upon their arrival, the trio obtained a wheelchair from Disney's Disability Access Service as Aguilar was recovering from a knee injury at that time. The group then roamed around the park and decided to ride the popular Jungle Cruise attraction located in the park's Adventureland area.
While the attraction does not have an ADA-accessible boat that allows disabled visitors to board without getting out of their wheelchairs, Aguilar opted to ride another boat with the assistance of her daughters. After the ride docked, the disabled woman’s daughters helped her get out of the boat without the assistance of the staff. This was when the workers at the attraction allegedly began laughing at Aguilar, who was having a difficult time exiting using the small makeshift steps.
Aguilar was reportedly left embarrassed and "dehumanized" by the staffers’ alleged treatment. "Exiting the boat was more difficult as it required her to propel her body upward with her lower legs, which due to her disability was not possible," according to the lawsuit. The family says the employees "began [snickering] and giggling as they watched [Aguilar] try to safely exit the boat."
As Hernandez and Maullul helped her exit the ride, Aguilar lost her balance on the unstable block and fell backward with her full weight. She was immediately rushed to Anaheim Global Medical Center, where it was revealed that she had a major fracture in her right leg. She soon underwent surgery and remained at the hospital for 10 days. After nearly two weeks, the Ventura County resident was moved to a rehabilitation center in Oxnard, California.
Aguilar’s daughters claim she contracted an infection at the facility, which led to septic shock and her subsequent death on January 29, 2022. "From the time [Aguilar] left Disneyland in an ambulance on Aug 22, 2021, she was never able to return home," the suit states. The family is now asking for the park to pay up to help cover expenses associated with Aguilar’s death.
In a written response to the lawsuit, Disney's lawyers denied all allegations while stating that the woman’s injuries were caused by her negligence. They also added that the company did not violate the Americans with Disabilities Act in any way. "The woman's injuries were 'caused or contributed' by her or her daughters," they said.
