ORLANDO, Fla. _ A woman from Celebration was attacked by a bird and suffered severe brain injuries as she walked on a dock at Walt Disney World Resort, according to a lawsuit that claims Disney knew seasonal nesting birds are a threat to guests.
Lisa Dixon was injured when the bird struck her in the head in May 2017, according to the suit filed in Orange Circuit Court last week that's seeking unspecified damages in excess of $15,000.
When reached for comment Tuesday, a Disney spokeswoman said the company will respond to the allegations in court.
Dixon suffered a traumatic brain injury and had herniated discs in her neck after the bird had "dive-bombed" and struck Dixon, said her lawyer, Thomas Schmitt. She will need surgery, he added.
The force of the bird hitting her was like Dixon had been struck in the head with a baseball, Schmitt said.
It happened as Dixon walked on the dock at the Polynesian Village Resort where visitors can take a boat across the Seven Seas Lagoon to the Magic Kingdom or another resort, the lawsuit said.
The lawsuit accused Disney of not keeping the dock safe and failing to properly warn visitors of the dangers as well as giving Dixon a false sense of security, among other allegations.
"If there's a company that's well-versed in safety, it should be Disney," Schmitt said.
Schmitt could not say exactly what kind of bird it was except it was a seasonal migrating bird.
Dixon, who is in her early 30s and from the Midwest, has been living in Celebration to manage her family's investment property. Her injury affected her focus and her personality, he said.
"It's changed her life," Schmitt said.
