Disney Cast Member Workers Comp Attorneys

Disneyland Cast Member Workers Comp

With approximately 28,000 workers or “cast members” The Walt Disney Company is the largest employer in Orange County. In 2022, Disney has almost 3,000 more employees than the next largest Orange County employer – which is University of California, Irvine with 25,512 workers.

In fact, Disney is almost back to its pre-pandemic figure of 32,000 cast members at Disneyland, California Adventure, Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, Disneyland Hotel, Paradise Pier Hotel, and Downtown Disney!

And as much as Disneyland and its related operations are beloved by the community and cast members alike, those who work in the themed-entertainment and hospitality industries can face many risks of injury and illness. In this article the Orange County workers’ comp attorneys at Cantrell Green discuss workers comp law as it applies to Disney.

Disneyland Park Employees Workers Comp

Cast members who work in one of Disney’s parks face long hours, exposure to harsh outdoor elements, and some unusual working conditions with hazards found in no other line of work. While Disneyland has a much better safety record than may other amusement parks, it is a fact that theme park workers have much higher rates of injury, illness, and fatality than many other industries.

Cast members who are ride operators can face particularly dangerous circumstances due to mechanical hazards, lockout/tagout, safe ride operation, and hazard recognition and reporting. And, tragically, theme park workers have suffered serious injury and even fatalities from being struck, run over, and/or dragged by ride carriages, cars, and safety arms. Workers have also been seriously injured when attempting to board moving rides.

Wearing full body costumes in sweltering temperatures, walking miles during parades, and performing stunts during shows, can also result in work-related injuries or illnesses at Disneyland.

Disney Food Service & Hospitality Workers Comp

Cuts, punctures, scrapes, and other lacerations are the leading cause of workers comp claims in the food service industry – followed by slip and falls, then burns and scalds. And Disney parks, hotels and resorts employee thousands of restaurant and food service workers.

Housekeeping and janitorial workers are also frequently injured by the lifting, pushing, bending, squatting, and other repetitive movements that can cause strains and sprains, as well as back and joint injuries. Slip and falls on wet or uneven surfaces is also fairly common in the hospitality industry.

Disneyland History of Workers Comp Fatalities

Disneyland workers have suffered several serious work-related accidents and deaths – and countless other less serious injuries – in its 67-year history of operations. Going back as far as 1974, a cast member died after being crushed between a revolving wall and a stationary platform inside America Sings during intermission. And in 1998 a caste member died when they were struck by a large piece of metal connected to the hull of the Sailing Ship Columbia as it approached the dock.

Another fatal accident occurred 2003, when a stage technician fell 60 feet to his death from a catwalk in the Hyperion Theater at Disneyland. After that tragic incident, Cal/OSHA fined the Walt Disney Company for safety violations after their investigation. And, as recently as August 2019 a Disney construction worker was tragically killed when a steel plate fell on them while they were working in a trench.

Disneyland Cast Member Workers Comp

Like any employee in Orange County, a Disney cast member who is injured, killed, or becomes sick due to a work-related incident or is protected by the workers’ comp laws of California and the United States.

Disneyland cast members , who suffer a work-related accident, injury or illness are entitled by law to:

Total medical care
Temporary income payments while unable to work
Permanent disability payments if the injury totally prevents returning to work
Death benefit payments to a spouse, children or other dependents

It does not matter who was at fault in order for a Disney cast member, or any other employee in Orange County, to qualify for workers comp benefits. Even if the cast member made a mistake or was negligent while performing, operating a ride or machinery, working in food service, or performing housekeeping or janitorial services they are still entitled to workers comp benefits.

Workers’ Comp Attorneys for Disney Cast Members

While many people consider The Walt Disney Company to be a fair Orange County employer, keep in mind that Disney is still a corporation whose mission it is to make money for shareholders, which includes keeping costs down. This means that they will be represented by huge insurance companies and aggressive attorneys of their own, who will typically try to “pay out” as little as possible in any insurance claim (including workers’ comp).

Before you agree to any workers comp settlement for a work-related injury or illness while working at Disneyland or a Disney property, make sure that you are protected by representation from an experienced Orange County workers’ comp attorney.

The Orange County workers comp attorneys at Cantrell Green have help many Disneyland cast members, and other themed-entertainment and hospitality workers collect the maximum workers comp benefits for which they qualify.

Disney cast members who try to collect workers comp without an attorney are often faced with a “David vs. Goliath” situation, fighting Orange County’s largest employer and their insurance company and attorneys. But a specialized workers’ comp law firm can help level the playing field – so that Disney cast members have the best chance of collecting the maximum workers’ comp benefits for which they qualify.

The experienced Orange County workers comp attorneys at Cantrell Green have been obtaining benefits for injured workers for more than four decades – fighting even the biggest companies like The Walt Disney Company – to protect worker rights. If you are Disney cast member who has suffered a work-related accident, injury, or illness, call Cantrell Green today for a FREE consultation. And take the first step to receiving the workers comp benefits to which you are entitled.