Roller Coaster Malfunctioned : Magic Mountain to Pay Injured Rider $150,000

A retired Los Angeles city industrial-waste inspector who suffered severe back injuries when a roller coaster at Magic Mountain malfunctioned in 1982 Tuesday won a $150,000 jury decision against the amusement park.

During a two-week trial, attorneys for the amusement park admitted liability for injuries to Alfred Hanson, 65, and his wife, Joan, 62, both of Torrance, who were hurt while riding the Mountain Express on Oct. 17, 1982. Although the question of who was at fault was not at issue, the case went to trial so that a jury could decide what amount the Hansons should receive for their injuries, said Judge Bruce J. Sottile.

According to testimony, the car the Hansons were riding in stopped near the crest of a high section of the ride when the roller coaster, which has since been removed from the park, malfunctioned. As employees attempted to repair the machine, the car began to slide back down the tracks before suddenly jerking forward and continuing upward.

Hurt While Turned Around

Because Hanson had turned toward the back of his car to calm a friend behind him, he suffered the most severe injuries when the car lurched, witnesses said.

Hanson suffered a ruptured disk in his back during the car’s snapping movement, requiring surgery to fuse vertebrae in his back, doctors testified. He continues to suffer constant pain from the injury, they said.

Joan Hanson complained of neck pain for several weeks but did not suffer any permanent injury. Two other people in the car with the Hansons did not sue.

John Denove, attorney for the Hansons, asked the jury during closing arguments to return a $675,000 verdict for expenses and suffering caused by Alfred Hanson’s injuries and his loss of income from part-time carpentry work. He also asked for a $6,000 verdict for expenses and suffering caused by Joan Hanson’s injuries.

But a San Fernando Superior Court jury deliberated for a day before returning a verdict of $150,000 for Alfred Hanson and $1,000 for Joan Hanson.

Denove and the attorney for Magic Mountain, Michael Lyden, could not be reached for comment after the decision.