Death at Disneyland & Wild Rivers, $15M in Snapchat Discrimination Lawsuit, and $900M in Sex Abuse Verdict
With the arrival of summer, the Golden State is facing an excessive heat season that is taking its toll on many residents. In addition to the number of personal injury cases related to the intense weather conditions, California has been experiencing a fierce fire season since June 2024. So far, more than 3,500 wildfires have been recorded, destroying nearly 220,000 acres, burning dozens of structures, and causing one death.
The summer season has also affected amusement parks. Although these facilities are at the heart of entertainment, there have been recent deadly incidents. The first was at Disneyland’s Club 33, where a worker suffered a fatal concussion when they fell from a golf cart. The second was at Wild Rivers Water Park in Irvine, where a child died suddenly after spending the day on the waterslides.
Among the negligence claims, there were two involving members of law enforcement. First, a family was compensated $1.5 million after customs officials detained a nine-year-old boy and a fourteen-year-old boy. Second, a family was awarded $40 million for the death of a pedestrian who was struck by the motorcycle of a CHP officer who was driving with a visual impairment.
There are also cases of celebrities committing crimes. One of the most high-profile stories is the lawsuit against Diplo for distributing revenge porn videos and pictures with a woman without her consent.
California Personal Injury News Highlights for June 2024
In this post, we will bring you the latest California personal injury news for June 2024. This month has seen several amusement park accidents. We also have a longer than usual list of incidents involving defective products, including car and food incidents.
In addition to the usual traffic accidents, there have been numerous cases of police misconduct, civil rights violations, and sex crimes reported this month.
Read on to learn about California’s personal injury cases in June 2024.
If you find yourself in a similar situation, don’t hesitate to seek legal help. We can help you get the compensation you deserve for your losses by calling (800) 310-1606.

Amusement Park and Carnival Deaths
Practice Area: Premises Liability
Theme parks are the main distraction for many families over the summer. And while the risk of injury is low, there have been several incidents this month involving multiple victims. One of the most devastating cases took place at Wild Rivers Water Park in Irvine. An 11-year-old boy died after spending the day at the water park.
Disneyland is another amusement park that has suffered a fatal tragedy. A Club 33 employee died after falling off a golf cart and suffering a concussion. This is not the first time there have been incidents at Disney parks.
Separately, another Disneyland worker was injured, but outside the park. In another case of public space violence in California, a worker was beaten on a bus in Anaheim.
California carnivals also had their share of mishaps involving injury and death in June 2024. A 16-year-old boy was stabbed to death in a heinous act of violence at a fundraising carnival organized by the LAPD in Los Angeles. In addition, nearly 20 passengers were trapped on the Thousand Oaks ride at the Ventura Carnival. Firefighters had to rescue the riders, some of whom were suffering from severe anxiety.
Bacteria in CVS Products, Fire Hazard in Wireless Chargers, and 21 Million Toys Recalled for Burns Risks
Practice Area: Product Liability
This section begins with a special mention of CVS: The pharmacy chain is in the spotlight for having the highest number of recalls of its own manufactured products. Over the past decade, CVS has recalled 133 drugs, more than twice as many as rival Walgreens, which has recalled 70. The latest product to be the subject of multiple injury lawsuits is its eye drops. According to a Bloomberg report, CVS works with manufacturers who have bacteria-laden facilities and employees who work barefoot.
Separately, two products have been recalled due to fire hazards. In the first, more than 1.2 million rechargeable lights were pulled from the market after a death was reported. The lights were sold at stores including Lowe’s, Meijer, and Amazon. Similarly, more than 130,000 magnetic wireless chargers were recalled. There were 171 total incidents, including 39 fires and 13 burn injuries.
Another product that has seen a massive recall is Miniverse. A total of 21 million toys were recalled after multiple complaints and reports of burns and respiratory irritation.
In addition, Vitamix has announced a recall of 569,000 of its Ascent and Venturist blenders. This followed a notice from the Consumer Product Safety Commission after receiving 27 reports of lacerations.
Software, Transmission, and Airbag Defects
As is the case every month, the automotive industry had its usual quota of recalls for a variety of reasons.
- More than 1.2 Chrysler, Jeep, and Dodge vehicles have been recalled due to a software problem. The defect could disable stability control systems by inadvertently disconnecting the cameras.
- Kia is recalling 462,000 Telluride SUVs because of a fire risk. The company is advising owners to park them outside.
- Volkswagen is recalling more than 271,000 Atlas SUVs because of an airbag problem. There is a risk that the front passenger airbag may not deploy in the event of a collision.
- In one of the worst cases, Ford is urgently recalling 550,000 F-150s from the 2014 model year. According to the company, the transmissions could unexpectedly shift into first gear at any time during driving.
Salmonella, Botulism, and Listeria in Food Products
Here are recent findings related to the food industry that pose a risk of injury:
- Costco has announced a Salmonella risk in cookie dough for various products including Costco Chocolate Chunk Frozen Cookie Dough, Member’s Mark Chocolate Chunk, and Panera Chocolate Chipper Cookie.
- FDA advises of risk of paralytic shellfish poison contamination in clams and oysters.
- Botulism risk in Snapchill’s nationally distributed coffee products.
- Hershey’s ice cream and cakes may contain listeria. The company that makes Hershey’s or Jeni’s ice cream has announced a risk of Listeria in some of its products.
Pedestrian Hit and Run and DUI Accidents
Practice Area: Traffic Accident
In regards to motor vehicle collisions, one of the most notable news stories was the conviction of Rebecca Grossman. After a four-year trial, Grossman was sentenced to 15 years in prison for striking and killing two children, ages 8 and 11, in a Westlake Village crosswalk and fleeing the scene. The family was awarded more than $75,000 in damages.
Unfortunately, hit-and-runs still happen. In Sylmar, police arrested a driver after he tried to flee the scene where he killed a pedestrian.
In addition, June 2024 also saw injury cases of drunk driving accidents in California. One of the most tragic stories involved an intoxicated driver who caused a crash that killed three people. Two others were seriously injured, including a seven-year-old girl.
Among celebrities arrested for DUI, Justin Timberlake spent a night in jail for drunk driving after leaving a bar and refusing to take a breathalyzer test three times. Another celebrity arrested for drunk driving was Travis Scott, who was involved in an altercation.
45 Shots Fired at Unarmed Suspect and $40M in Police Malpractice Lawsuit
Practice Area: Police Misconduct
The Antioch Police Department has been in the spotlight for several years. Most recently, the department made headlines over the death of an Antioch resident in 2021. State authorities have now announced that they will not file charges against the four officers who shot an unarmed suspect up to 45 times. On top of that, one of the officers involved is currently facing additional civil rights charges.
Separately, a woman was shot and gassed by police in Long Beach after officers believed she was armed. According to the cops, the woman was carrying a fake gun.
And, as mentioned at the beginning of this blog, a jury awards a family $40 million in wrongful death damages after a CHP officer’s negligence. The agent who fatally struck a pedestrian while speeding on his motorcycle had vision problems.
Coca-Cola Heir Ordered to Pay $900M for Rape and San Jose School District Sued for Covering Up Sexual Abuse
Practice Area: Sexual Harassment or Abuse
Continuing with police cases, a Riverside County officer is accused of sexually assaulting a female volunteer with the department. The officer, Alexander Vanny, faces three counts of sex crimes.
Similarly, a Yosemite employee has been charged with raping a female employee. In addition to the sexual assault, he is also accused of strangling her.
Alkiviades “Alki” David, the Greek billionaire heir to the Coca-Cola fortune, must pay $900 million in restitution to the woman he allegedly sexually assaulted over a three-year period. It is one of the largest sexual assault verdicts in history. However, it is not the first lawsuit Alki has faced. In total, he has paid more than $70 million to other victims of his sexual misconduct.
As for California schools, a serious case occurred in San Jose, where the Alum Rock School District covered up the sexual misconduct of an ex-convicted teacher. A total of 11 girls have sued the district for sexual abuse and covering up allegations of misconduct.
Snapchat Settles Discrimination Lawsuit For $15 Million
Practice Area: Civil Rights Violations
When it comes to civil rights violations, the most widely discussed news has been about Snapchat Inc. The tech company has reached a financial settlement of more than $15 million to settle a discrimination lawsuit. According to the claim, the company that owns the popular messaging app did not prevent sexual harassment in the workplace. Additionally, they failed to ensure that female employees were paid or promoted equally, and harassed and retaliated against women who reported it.
Finally, several East Bay parents filed a lawsuit against the state for failing to identify discrimination in schools. They said that the goal was to increase the identification of discrimination against students. Although the discrimination was already illegal, little was being done to stop it.
Have You Suffered an Injury Accident in California During June 2024? Call Us!
Being the victim of an injury can be devastating, both physically and financially. If you have been injured as a result of a negligent accident, you must seek legal help. With over 100 years of combined experience, Adamson Ahdoot successfully obtains settlements for injured victims in California.
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