On May 14, 2026, Avery T. “Sandy” Waterman, Jr., Esq. of Waterman Law Centers, PLLC filed a $20,000,000.00 suit against Go Ape Freedom LLC (“Go Ape”) for the broken neck, broken back, and related permanent neurological injuries suffered by his client due to Go Ape’s faulty ziplining equipment, as alleged. On March 29, 2025, a large male rider plummeted down from a Go Ape zipline cable in Freedom Park and landed on the victim standing below, due to his Go Ape zipline “trolley” failing.
Yet details of Go Ape’s hazardous equipment malfunction and even the rider’s identity still remain a closely-guarded secret of Go Ape more than a year after-the-fact. As alleged, shortly after the incident “Go Ape’s CEO, Daniel Kasabian, assured [its victim’s family member] that Go Ape was ‘conducting a thorough investigation,’ was ‘very transparent,’ and ‘would provide any information [its victim] wanted’” – yet “Go Ape’s CEO instead broke his word and chose to lawyer-up, hunker-down, and keep Go Ape’s incident report and investigative material secret”.
Go Ape’s victim was rushed by ambulance to Riverside Regional Medical Center and had to undergo emergency neurological surgery, have extensive stabilizing hardware installed, wear both a neck brace and a back brace, convalesce and treat post-operatively for almost a year, undergo follow-up neurological surgery for metal hardware removal, and convalesce and treat post-operatively for months or more again TBD. Nonetheless, she has extensive permanent scarring and disfigurement from the neurosurgeries and has substantial permanent neurological impairment of her upper appendage.
The case is Anna L. Laakman v. Go Ape Freedom LLC, No. CL26001148-00 in Circuit Court for the City of Williamsburg and James City County, Virginia. Trial by jury has been requested.
Mr. Waterman’s award-winning law practice focuses on vehicle accidents, medical malpractice, and other personal injuries and wrongful deaths. He has been named to Best Lawyers in America for the past 19 years consecutively – during which his peers voted him “Lawyer of the Year” in his practice areas 6 times – plus he has been named to Virginia Super Lawyers for the past 17 years consecutively.
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