Lawsuits Allege Serious Injuries at American Dream Mall Ball Pit

Two lawsuits filed against the operators of a ball pit exhibit at New Jersey's American Dream shopping mall allege that children sustained severe head injuries, including fractured skulls and brain trauma.

One lawsuit, filed in October, claims a young boy named Bjorn Kristic was playing in the 'Bubble Ocean' exhibit in January when he struck his head on a concrete staircase. According to the complaint, the staircase lacked protective coverings and warning signs, and employees did not alert visitors to the potential hazard. Bjorn was taken to Hackensack University Medical Center and diagnosed with a skull fracture and brain trauma. His mother, Tamara Kristic, is listed as a plaintiff seeking unspecified monetary damages and court costs. The lawsuit accuses defendants of negligence, design defect, and negligent hiring, training, and supervision, and demands a jury trial.

A second lawsuit, filed in October, details a similar incident involving a young girl, Eliana Lang, who allegedly hit her head on the concrete floor of the exhibit on October 28, 2025. Her parents were directed by Bubble Planet staff to an urgent care clinic within the mall, but that facility stated it was not equipped to handle head injuries. The family then took Eliana to NYU Langone's emergency room, where she was also diagnosed with a fractured skull and brain trauma. Eliana's parents are also seeking a jury trial and compensation for their daughter's physical and emotional damages.

American Dream, the East Rutherford shopping mall, stated that it cannot comment on legal matters but confirmed that Bubble Planet is no longer operating at the venue. The space is slated to become the Minecraft Experience, scheduled to open next month. The company's website indicates the American Dream location is now closed.

The American Dream mall, a 3.5 million-square-foot complex owned by Canadian developer Triple Five, opened in October 2019. It features numerous attractions, including Nickelodeon Universe, DreamWorks Water Park, SEA LIFE Aquarium, and LEGOLAND Discovery Center. Triple Five is also named as a defendant in the lawsuits, along with Sea Life Meadowlands, Exhibition Hub, and Fever Lab, which operated Bubble Planet at the mall.

Attorneys for the Krstic and Lang families have been approached for comment.