PITTSBURGH – A Pennsylvania couple have filed suit against a trio of companies allegedly responsible for injuries one of the plaintiffs suffered when riding a camel at a Pittsburgh circus event.
Alia A. Vollstedt and Daniel B. Vollstedt of Washington County filed suit in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas on June 12 versus Syria Temple Holding Corporation of Pittsburgh, Billy Martin Presents, LLC of Olean, N.Y. and Circus Pages International, Inc., of Myakka City, Fla.
The suit says defendant Syria Temple executed a lease agreement with Pittsburgh Arena Operating, LLC to hold a circus show at the PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh on Sept. 16, 2018, an event attended by the plaintiffs.
During an intermission in the performance, members of the audiences were allowed to enter the rings and interact with various performers and animals. In one section of the performance area, which maintained and controlled jointly by all defendants, patrons were given rides on camels that were owned and handled by Circus Pages.
“Plaintiff wife mounted one of the camels as instructed by defendants and sat in a saddle which was closed off on three sides by metal bars. Each camel had two handlers and made one lap around the performance area with each set of passengers before allowing them to dismount,” the suit says.
“Plaintiff wife then commenced her camel ride around the perimeter of the performance area. In the course of plaintiff wife’s camel ride, the camel carrying plaintiff wife began to buck erratically and charge across the performance area. Plaintiff wife became stuck and remained in the saddle, being violently thrown about and striking her head against one of the metal bars of the saddle.”
The plaintiffs say the defendants were negligent in their handling of the camel ride, leading Alia Vollstedt to suffer a myriad of serious injuries, such as a concussion, post-concussion syndrome, a closed head injury, sensitivity to light and sound, plus shoulder, knee, neck and spinal injuries.
For counts of negligence, strict liability and loss of consortium, the plaintiffs are seeking joint and several damages in excess of $35,000, plus punitive damages, costs and a trial by jury.
The plaintiffs are represented by Jonathan A. Orie and Trevor R. Fleming of Orie & Zivic, in Pittsburgh.
The defendants have not yet secured legal counsel.
Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas case GD-20-006775
From the Pennsylvania Record: Reach Courts Reporter Nicholas Malfitano at nick.malfitano@therecordinc.com