A federal lawsuit filed Friday against Camelback Resort alleges that the Monroe County facility disregarded problems affecting a ski lift, which led to a father and his two children being “catastrophically injured” after their chair fell more than 20 feet to the ground last year.

The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, states that patrons riding the Sullivan Express chairlift experienced “violent shaking and swinging of the chairs that was abnormal” before the March 2021 incident that led to Yelisey Rabaev and his children suffering physical and emotional harm.

“Despite having reports that the chairs on the Sullivan Express were violently shaking and swinging, and despite the lift operator/attendant having witnessed this shaking and swinging the Camelback Defendants outrageously, wantonly, willfully, and recklessly disregarded the safety of their patrons and failed to shut down, disable, and/or prevent riders from riding Sullivan Express and, instead, continued to permit and encourage patrons to utilize the Sullivan Express,” the suit contends.

Kit Pappas, managing director of Camelback Resort, told The Morning Call in a statement: “While we cannot comment on ongoing litigation, we remain deeply saddened for the family involved in the March 2021 Sullivan lift incident.”

“Our No. 1 priority is always the safety and security of our guests and employees, and we have taken and continue to take extensive measures to ensure that we are providing a safe environment.”

According to the lawsuit:

Rabaev and his children were riding on the ski lift - constructed in the mid-1990s - between 3 and 3:30 p.m. March 21 at the Tannersville resort when the lift stopped near the top of the mountain.

When it started moving again, the chairs began to jerk and swing forward, backward and side to side in an “X pattern” before the Rabaevs’ chair detached and fell to the ground.

Rabaev’s wife, Goldie, who is a co-plaintiff, was also on the lift, seated a few chairs behind Rabaev with her other two children.

Rabaev and his two children were taken by ambulance to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Pocono for emergency medical care.

Due to the extent of their injuries, Rabaev and one of the children were then transported to LVH-Cedar Crest; Rabaev was later transferred to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center in Philadelphia.

Rabaev suffered “severe and disabling injuries, some or all of which are permanent,” including numerous fractures, lumbar pelvic dissociation, a kidney laceration, and blunt cardiac injury.

Rabaev remained hospitalized for nearly three weeks and underwent multiple surgeries before being admitted to an inpatient rehabilitation facility, according to the suit.

The child taken to LVH-Cedar Crest suffered multiple pulmonary contusions and a pneumothorax, while the other injured child suffered broken bones. Both children are identified by their initials in the lawsuit.

In addition to pain and emotional suffering, Rabaev also can’t pursue “usual activities, pursuits, duties, work and avocations.”

The family also continues to pay for medical care for the two children, who also suffer pain and emotional distress, including from seeing their father’s injuries.

The lawsuit seeks compensatory and punitive damages.

The Rabaevs are represented by Philadelphia law firm Cohen, Placitella and Roth, P.C.