Woman claims she was hit by airborne knife at American Dream Mall
A lawsuit was filed March 24 in Superior Court.
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A woman has filed a lawsuit against American Dream Mall, claiming she was struck in the face by a knife while on a ride at Nickelodeon Universe Theme Park.
In the four-count suit, Xianghua Nan's attorney says she was on a ride known as the Loud House with her family when the incident occurred. An Annual Thrill Pass holder, Nan's suit claims that while the ride was in operation, "a Swiss [Army] knife became airborne and struck plaintiff directly in the face."
Immediately after the incident, Nan requested that the ride be stopped. An employee then retrieved the knife from the ride floor, the suit says. Court documents also allege that while Nan was receiving emergency medical treatment at the scene for visible bleeding and pain, "one of the defendant's employees was observed laughing." Attorneys argue that this showed a "disregard for patron safety."
Nan was transported to Hudson Regional Hospital, where she was treated for multiple injuries, including a facial laceration, bruising, spinal trauma and back injuries, including herniated discs. As a result of her injuries, the suit claims she incurred more than $13,000 in medical bills.
Nan's attorneys claim that at the time of the incident, there were no adequate warnings or verbal instructions from employees instructing riders to empty their pockets.
According to the American Dream Mall website, knives as well as other weapons — and replicas of weapons — are banned on American Dream property. The suit alleges that riders weren't adequately screened and that the mall failed to properly train and supervise its staff on safety enforcement.
In an email to News 12, an American Dream spokesperson stated that the mall does not comment on legal matters.
