Jury Awards Man Injured At Portland Water Park $9M In Damages

PORTLAND, CT — A jury has awarded $9 million to a man who was injured at a Portland water park.

The verdict came down in Middletown Superior Court on May 3, just over seven years after Charles Beyer, 46, of Washingtonville, N.Y., filed the complaint against Brownstone Exploration & Discovery Park.

Beyer visited the water park on Aug. 6, 2016. His injury occurred while he was participating in the "lily pads" activity. As described in the complaint, these were five circular floating discs, each five feet in diameter, and attached to the bottom of the quarry floor.

The plaintiff dove feet first into the water from one of them when "his left ankle came into contact with a sharp submerged and concealed object that was part of the cable or rope mechanism used to anchor" the disc to the floor.

As a result, Beyer suffered lacerations, nerve damage, extensive scarring, infection and swelling to his left foot and ankle, along with a "severe shock to nervous system," according to the complaint.

Beyer's case accused Brownstone management of "negligence and/or carelessness" in the installation and maintenance of the "lily pads."

The jury awarded Beyer $3 million for past damages, and $6 million for future damages, according to the verdict filed last week.