But that won't help. From CNN: "But it was too late. The child was dragged underwater in the Seven Seas Lagoon, witnesses told authorities. The lagoon is connected to a series of canals that feed into large bodies of water, Wiley said earlier." More alligators will just come in." Wiki says the manmade pond was never intended for recreational use, hence the signs.

Anonymous wrote:How is losing a child to a freak accident like a gator attack different from any other way you might lose s child?

With the freak gator attack, they were right there trying to fight off the gator and grab their child away. They are likely re living that horrible imagery over and over again and maybe questioning how -- if they had grabbed him this way or hit the gator that way -- and blaming themselves. For Will McKamey and Newton -- the parents weren't there and couldn't have done anything to stop what happened.

Seven seas lagoon now has fences installed at grand flo and Polynesian.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And I'll add, $6 mil is probably nothing to that family either, in comparison to the permanent lose of their son.

And the magical $500 billion Dr Evil quoted a few pages back is? The reality no amount of money brings the kid back or takes away the pain.

Right, that was my point, perhaps not made well.

To those talking about massive settlements in hundreds of millions, maybe the Plaintiffs attorney will come back to explain (I don't practice this area of law), but in wrongful death cases, there are actual values placed on a person's life, and on the suffering of the plaintiffs, which are calculated using all sorts of criteria. That's why there is not a limitless cap on what a family might receive in settlement for loss of their toddler's life. In the case of a small child, I'm not sure what the criteria are, but I'm guessing that's what the PP attorney was basing his 6 mil max figure on.

But to win on a wrongful death case, you have to prove fault - and so far I see no fault on the part of Disney. Based upon what I know (which may be false and incomplete) I, as judge, would throw the case out on summary judgment in that I don't see Disney as being at fault or negligent . . yet.

All a lawyer needs to do is bring in one of the many witnesses to almost gator attacks on Disney property. Thank goodness you're not a judge btw

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And I'll add, $6 mil is probably nothing to that family either, in comparison to the permanent lose of their son.

And the magical $500 billion Dr Evil quoted a few pages back is? The reality no amount of money brings the kid back or takes away the pain.

Right, that was my point, perhaps not made well.

To those talking about massive settlements in hundreds of millions, maybe the Plaintiffs attorney will come back to explain (I don't practice this area of law), but in wrongful death cases, there are actual values placed on a person's life, and on the suffering of the plaintiffs, which are calculated using all sorts of criteria. That's why there is not a limitless cap on what a family might receive in settlement for loss of their toddler's life. In the case of a small child, I'm not sure what the criteria are, but I'm guessing that's what the PP attorney was basing his 6 mil max figure on.

But to win on a wrongful death case, you have to prove fault - and so far I see no fault on the part of Disney. Based upon what I know (which may be false and incomplete) I, as judge, would throw the case out on summary judgment in that I don't see Disney as being at fault or negligent . . yet.

How is losing a child to a freak accident like a gator attack different from any other way you might lose s child?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And I'll add, $6 mil is probably nothing to that family either, in comparison to the permanent lose of their son.

I think Disney should make a big payout but as a parent I would not be able to live on millions given to me due to the gruesome death of my child.

I would probably take the money and put it to good and making the world a better place by doing something like creating a charity or scholarship in memory of my child.

But use that money to buy boats, decorate my house, go on vacations and eat out? No friggin way. I could not live a life of luxury from blood money for tue death of my baby.

Ah but the vacations and date nights would probably help their marriage which I'm certain has taken a big hit. Also a lifestyle upgrade would benefit their other child who is probably going to have hard times growing up in a grieving family. I'm sure most people would spend the "blood money" to help themselves cope. A vacation to help a couple struggling to reconnect and on the verge of divorce over the preventable death of their child....I wouldn't think less of them if they did spend Disney money to help their marriage and their other child.

I'm pretty sure this couple won't be able to go on vacation ever again. How exactly will they do that knowing the last time they went, they came home without their 2 yr old??

I'm not saying that family fun type vacations wouldn't be hard for them. But a change of scenery might be healing. Staying at home, seeing all the tangible reminders of him (the spot he used to sit at, the toys the kids played with together, etc), seeing all parts of one's life left blank where he used to fill (don't need go to the music and movement class for him anymore, etc), seeing all friends/neighbors/family/acquaintances who might not know what to say/might say the wrong thing. Yeah, if they were my friends, I would suggest they go on vacation.

Much different but 2 yrs ago Will McKamey was a frosh at the Naval Academy who passed away after a head injury while playing football for Navy. He was already 18-19 and out of the home, but I read a recent interview in which his parents said that they ended up selling their home and building a new one in a new part of town. It was very much the same reasoning -- everywhere they looked in their old home, they could see where their son played football in the yard; where he posed for prom pics with his date just 6 months prior; his chair at the breakfast table; his work out bench set up etc. I imagine it's just like that for this family now -- they were going away for a 1 week vacation. They come home to his toys all over the playroom floor. His laundry in the hamper etc. And then they have their 4 yr old reminding them about their son -- I mean not that they're not thinking about it 24-7; but if they get a 30 second break, I can see 4 yr old not sensing that and saying something about her brother. Apparently that was a big thing in the Newtown tragedy -- brothers and sisters asking if their deceased bro/sis could ever come back to play; or how much they missed them or whatever.

I grew up around there. Disney pays settlements with the agreement that the details aren't disclosed. They'll change the signs, but I don't think they can do anything to keep out all of the alligators.

Obviously there will be a settlement. Whether it's $6 million or $50 million or whatever, it'll make it such that this family will never have to work again. How do people handle their lives after this sort of thing? The dad is at a pretty high level in his company and I assume the mom is a SAHM (maybe not - just assuming given that they're in the Midwest at a high income level in a posh neighborhood). Does the dad now quit bc the mortgage is paid, retirement is set, college for the remaining child and any others they have is paid, and they can afford to buy health insurance for life? I can see how work just does not matter now. But I also wonder if it'll be good just to have someplace to go that is "normal," where he never used to see his family anyway so it's separate from his home life.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And I'll add, $6 mil is probably nothing to that family either, in comparison to the permanent lose of their son.

I think Disney should make a big payout but as a parent I would not be able to live on millions given to me due to the gruesome death of my child.

I would probably take the money and put it to good and making the world a better place by doing something like creating a charity or scholarship in memory of my child.

But use that money to buy boats, decorate my house, go on vacations and eat out? No friggin way. I could not live a life of luxury from blood money for tue death of my baby.

Ah but the vacations and date nights would probably help their marriage which I'm certain has taken a big hit. Also a lifestyle upgrade would benefit their other child who is probably going to have hard times growing up in a grieving family. I'm sure most people would spend the "blood money" to help themselves cope. A vacation to help a couple struggling to reconnect and on the verge of divorce over the preventable death of their child....I wouldn't think less of them if they did spend Disney money to help their marriage and their other child.

I'm pretty sure this couple won't be able to go on vacation ever again. How exactly will they do that knowing the last time they went, they came home without their 2 yr old??

I'm not saying that family fun type vacations wouldn't be hard for them. But a change of scenery might be healing. Staying at home, seeing all the tangible reminders of him (the spot he used to sit at, the toys the kids played with together, etc), seeing all parts of one's life left blank where he used to fill (don't need go to the music and movement class for him anymore, etc), seeing all friends/neighbors/family/acquaintances who might not know what to say/might say the wrong thing. Yeah, if they were my friends, I would suggest they go on vacation.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not sure why so many of you are salivating over Disney paying billions. This family probably does not fault Disney and recognizes it as a freak accident. I would hope they don't see this as an opportunity to bankrupt Disney over a tragic accident.

Do you really think that a huge settlement is going to bankrupt Disney? Not at all possible. A huge settlement is pocket change to Disney. Mor damagingnis the damage to tyeir brand and image. The money, even large sums of money, is nothing to them.

Uh, yes. A billion dollar settlement will hurt them.

In no realm of reality will this ever reach a billion dollar settlement. You sadly overestimate what the courts hold to be the value of a child's life.

The billion dollar settlement is not my idea but that of someone on this thread.

What was the right thing? Alligator attacks are extremely rare.

I'm betting $20 million (given the earlier post in this thread for recent FL lawsuit payouts).

And I'm betting it will be a settlement that doesn't go to trial, and the family will get Disney to finally post proper warning signs, install fences or rocks to prevent wading and prevent gators from accessing the shore.

Too bad disney simply didn't do the right thing in the first place.

Anonymous wrote:Not sure why so many of you are salivating over Disney paying billions. This family probably does not fault Disney and recognizes it as a freak accident. I would hope they don't see this as an opportunity to bankrupt Disney over a tragic accident.

HAHAHA Disney makes so much money it is obscene. They will pay +$10M in my estimation. If this case goes to court... with all those people who say they saw the alligator already, and Disney did nothing ... its all over the newspapers.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And I'll add, $6 mil is probably nothing to that family either, in comparison to the permanent lose of their son.

I think Disney should make a big payout but as a parent I would not be able to live on millions given to me due to the gruesome death of my child.

I would probably take the money and put it to good and making the world a better place by doing something like creating a charity or scholarship in memory of my child.

But use that money to buy boats, decorate my house, go on vacations and eat out? No friggin way. I could not live a life of luxury from blood money for tue death of my baby.

Ah but the vacations and date nights would probably help their marriage which I'm certain has taken a big hit. Also a lifestyle upgrade would benefit their other child who is probably going to have hard times growing up in a grieving family. I'm sure most people would spend the "blood money" to help themselves cope. A vacation to help a couple struggling to reconnect and on the verge of divorce over the preventable death of their child....I wouldn't think less of them if they did spend Disney money to help their marriage and their other child.

I'm pretty sure this couple won't be able to go on vacation ever again. How exactly will they do that knowing the last time they went, they came home without their 2 yr old??