Melbourne rollercoaster tragedy: Critically injured woman’s family could take legal action, lawyer says

The woman, who was seriously injured after walking in front of a roller coaster at the Melbourne show, could face legal action, her lawyer says.

Shylah Rodden, 26, is fighting for her life after being struck by the Rebel Coaster ride.

Graphic footage of the tragic incident, uploaded to TikTok, shows the moment Rodden was hit by the vehicle, which can travel at speeds of up to 70 km/h.

Video shows she was knocked down on the tracks and dragged nine meters into the air before falling to the ground.

Rodden didn’t seem to notice the roller coaster coming their way.

Police say they went to the track to retrieve a cell phone that had fallen during a previous ride.

As the 26-year-old fights for her life in hospital with her family by her side, a lawyer representing her says legal action is possible.

Aki Munir of the Arnold, Thomas and Becker law firm told the Herald Sun that the family has not ruled out legal action for compensation.

“We are investigating the initiation of proceedings against the Melbourne show and the ride operator. It will be a negligent lawsuit,” Munir said.

WorkSafe has determined the ride is safe and has given approval to reopen.

The news follows video of the crash emerging on social media. The man who inadvertently captured the moment Rodden was hit by the roller coaster says he has trouble sleeping.

“All of a sudden I saw someone being picked up, but at the same time I was like, ‘F***, my sister, my partner,'” he told 7News.

“But you can see she bent down to pick something up. I don’t know if it was a phone or what, but she was so intent on picking it up that she didn’t see the ride at all.”

The footage was passed to Victoria Police as part of their investigation.

A spokesperson for the Melbourne Royal Show said: “The safety and well-being of our show-goers remains our top priority.

“We maintain strict safety protocols in accordance with Victorian WorkSafe regulations and all on-site drives have undergone rigorous compliance checks.

“No ride will be turned on until it has passed all required safety and compliance documentation.”

Show boss Brad Jenkins called the accident “tragic”.

“Our understanding is that there was a cell phone at the base of the Rebel Coaster that she dropped while riding and she went back to recover the cell phone,” he said.

“Unfortunately, she was tragically hit by the descending car.”