It’s easy to get swept up in sensationalism, so there’s a distinct possibility your first reaction upon discovering a lawsuit has been filed against Disney over an “injurious wedgie” is one of confusion and perhaps even hilarity based on how often frivolous legal claims take up headline space thanks entirely to the bizarre nature of their origins.
And yet, the truth behind the incident is so horrifying that it’s remarkable Emma McGuinness is only seeking $50,000 in damages from the company. During a visit to Typhoon Lagoon in 2019, the then-30 year-old took a trip down the Humanga Cowabunga waterslide, and ended up suffering catastrophic injuries as a result.
As stated in the filing, “the impact of The Slide and her impact into the standing water at the bottom of The Slide caused Ms. McGuinness’ clothing to be painfully forced between her legs and for water to be violently forced inside her,” before noting that she suffered “severe and permanent bodily injury including a full thickness laceration causing Plaintiff’s bowel to protrude through her abdominal wall, and damage to her internal organs.”
Naturally, social media has been rife with jokes being made at the expense of the incident based entirely on the concept of a wedgie leading to a lawsuit and financial recompense being sought against one of the wealthiest and most powerful corporations on the planet without knowing the harrowing details, but as you can no doubt infer from the injuries listed by McGuinness and her legal team, it’s hardly a laughing matter given the severity of her injuries.