What happened to Rachel Hawes? Cedar point amusement park lawsuit scandal explained 

On Wednesday, July 12, Michigan woman Rachel Hawes filed a lawsuit against the Cedar Point amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio. According to the New York Post, Hawes was gravely injured after a piece of metal from a Cedar Point rollercoaster flew off the ride and struck her head. As per the lawsuit, she will require medical treatment for the rest of her life, with the costs exceeding $10 million.

Trigger warning: This article concerns a gruesome accident, the reader's discretion is advised

In the lawsuit, Rachel Hawes was described as having been permanently disabled from the injuries she sustained in the Cedar Point accident. She said that the long term effects included several skull fractures and traumatic brain injuries. The Beacon Journal reported that while the lawsuit identified $13.2 million in losses, Hawes' legal team has not specified the amount of money they want from the amusement park.

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Rachel Hawes and her legal team condemn the Cedar Point national park

As reported by ABC, Rachel Hawes was injured in the Cedar Point National Park while waiting in line in 2021. She claimed that while she stood in line for a ride, a flag plate from the Top Thrill Dragster rollercoaster fell down and hit her in the head. She recieved her initial medical treatment at the park, before being transported to three different hospitals across Ohio and Michigan. Hawes said that her injuries included brain hemorrhage, hemotama, a head fracture, and cerebral laceration.

The lawsuit blamed the accident on the carelessness of Cedar Park officials.

The papers read:

“The Cedar Park defendants were negligent with failing to protect individuals, such as Rachel Hawes, from being injured from parts, debris, and/or objects falling from Defendant’s ride."

Following the tragedy, the Top Thrill dragster rollercoaster ride was shut down so that authorities could investigate the accident. As per an investigative report released by the Ohio Department of Agriculture, the Cedar Point Amusement park was cleared of all wrongdoing in relation to the case.

The investigative report provided by the Ohio Department of Agriculture read:

“After examining the documentation provided and conducting interviews of Cedar Point staff, ODA found no evidence that Cedar Point had knowledge of or reason to believe that the Top Thrill Dragster was in an unsafe condition that could cause a hazard to riders, employees, or the public on August 15, 2021."

According to Rachel Hawes and her legal team, however, the accident was directly caused by the lack of care taken by Cedar Point employees. Hawes said that the injuries have left her unable to socialise or work properly. She said that prior to the Cedar Point trip, she was planning to become an educator. However, due to the severity of the injuries, she has had to put the plan on hold.

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Amusement park accidents in America

According to Web Tribunal, there are approximately 30,000 theme park related accidents in America every year. 36% of the injuries sustained in these incidents were related to a rollercoaster. Across the country, there are approximately at least four rollercoaster related deaths on a annual basis.

As per NBC, 65% of amusement park related accidents are caused by the misbehavior of passengers. In many cases, passengers are thrown off the ride due to not wearing a seatbelt. However, Science Direct reported that approximately 60% of accidents stem from malfunctions on the ride.

In the case of Rachel Hawes' injuries, her legal team blamed the incident on a ride malfunction. However, the independent investigative report stated that the employees could not have known about the defect on the ride at the time.