A roller coaster ride was supposed to be a day of fun with his grandchildren. Instead, a Los Angeles attorney says it left him with a devastating brain injury that ultimately ended the career he had spent decades building.
Michael Wilk is now suing Six Flags Magic Mountain over the X2 roller coaster, claiming that riding the attraction in February caused serious neurological damage and left him unable to practice law.
His case is one of three lawsuits filed against Six Flags this week involving the California coaster, which has come under growing scrutiny over alleged injuries suffered by riders.
The X2 has been a major attraction for thrill-seekers, reaching speeds of up to 76 mph and featuring dramatic drops. Its seats also rotate 360 degrees, according to the Six Flags website.
But behind the adrenaline-fueled experience is a growing list of people who say they were seriously hurt after riding it.
CNN previously found multiple cases involving traumatic brain injuries allegedly connected to the coaster. Since that investigation was published, more than 100 people have reportedly come forward with claims of injuries ranging in severity.
Wilk says he never imagined he would become one of them.
According to his lawsuit, the insurance defense attorney immediately felt a stabbing pain in his head after getting off the ride. He was also dizzy and had difficulty walking.
He initially decided not to seek medical attention. But over the next several weeks, he began noticing increasingly serious problems with his cognitive abilities.
The changes eventually began interfering with his job.
Doctors later performed an MRI and discovered massive bleeding and swelling inside Wilk’s skull. He subsequently needed several surgeries to relieve the pressure on his brain, according to the lawsuit.
X2 roller coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain
Wilk is still dealing with dizziness, confusion, memory loss, debilitating headaches and changes to his personality, the lawsuit alleges, according to LADbible. He has also been left unable to continue his legal career.
He told CNN that one of the most frustrating effects has been the way his brain now processes speech.
“My brain has difficulty processing the words, and so unless it’s extraordinarily clear and loud, my brain gets the word wrong. I think I miss about half the conversations I’m in
“I truly hope that by coming forward, changes will be made.”
Christopher Bulone, an attorney representing the alleged victims with Dordick Law Corporation, said: “Mike Wilk had no idea when he was getting in line for the ride with his grandchildren that he was getting on something dangerous that was going to cost him his career, that was going to lead to him having his skull cut open so that blood could be drained out of his skull.”
“People are coming off the ride with permanent brain damage”
The allegations come as the X2 remains closed. The attraction has not operated since July 12, according to The Guardian.
Six Flags has not officially commented on the CNN investigation into the ride.
In earlier court filings involving Six Flags, attorneys have argued that the X2 passed ASTM standards. The American Society for Testing and Materials sets standards used to assess the safety of amusement park rides.
Bulone, however, has questioned whether passing those tests tells the full story.
“Time after time, innocent people are coming off the ride with permanent brain damage.”
He added: “They’ve never thought to try to ascertain whether these tests were sufficient. They’re clearly not.”
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