By Devin Fry
FARGO, N.D. (Valley News Live) – A South Dakota family has filed a federal lawsuit against a Fargo hotel and a local pool company, alleging a defective and improperly installed pool slide caused their young son to suffer a skull fracture and brain bleed.
Michael and Brittany Wright filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court in North Dakota on behalf of their son, who was five years old at the time of the incident. The suit names Double H One, LLC, doing business as La Quinta Inn & Suites in Fargo; La Quinta Franchising LLC; Wyndham Hotel & Resorts, Inc.; and Derheim, Inc., doing business as My Aquatic Services, a West Fargo company that the lawsuit says installed the pool slide.
According to the complaint, the Wright family was staying at the hotel in February 2025 for their eldest son’s hockey tournament. The lawsuit states that while the child was using the pool slide, he fell from it and struck his head and face on the floor, causing him to lose consciousness. He was taken to the emergency room at Sanford Medical Center in Fargo, where he was found to have a skull fracture and a brain bleed known as an epidural hematoma, according to the complaint.
The lawsuit alleges the slide had a six-inch crack, an unlevel handrail and landing, and ladder steps of inconsistent width, which it claims violated industry standards. The complaint also states the slide’s manufacturer manual specified the product was intended for residential use only and was never to be installed at a commercial or public pool.
The lawsuit alleges negligence against all four defendants, claiming they failed to maintain a safe pool area, failed to warn guests of the alleged hazard, and are responsible for the actions of employees and agents involved in operating the hotel. The family is seeking damages in excess of $75,000, citing the child’s pain and suffering, past and future medical expenses, and a claim of reduced future earning capacity.
Derheim, Inc. has denied the allegations in a court filing, stating it breached no duty to the plaintiffs and that any damages were caused by the conduct of other parties or circumstances outside its control. La Quinta Franchising LLC and Wyndham Hotel & Resorts, Inc. have also filed an answer to the complaint.
A scheduling order has been issued in the case, with a jury trial set for March 2028 in Fargo.
