Universal Studios Lawsuit: Stardust Racers and Harry Potter Rides

Universal Studios is facing a lawsuit wave built around two flashpoints: the Stardust Racers roller coaster at the new Epic Universe park in Orlando, where at least six riders have sued over head and neck injuries and a 32-year-old guest died in September 2025, and the Harry Potter attractions in Hollywood and Orlando, where a California jury delivered a $7.25 million verdict that was later vacated by a confidential settlement, and where additional riders have filed suit over abrupt stops and malfunctions. A federal OSHA citation over an employee’s electrical shock rounds out a difficult legal stretch for the company.

Stardust Racers Injury Lawsuits

Stardust Racers, a dual-launch coaster designed and built by Germany’s Mack Rides, opened to the public at Epic Universe on May 22, 2025. Injury claims followed within months.¹

On December 18, 2025, five separate suits were filed in Orange County Circuit Court against Universal Orlando and Mack Rides. The plaintiffs — Bonita Freeman of Virginia, Jason Rodriguez of Miami-Dade County, Brittany Smiley of Ohio, Breanna Bradford of Brevard County, and Debbie Reinelt of North Carolina — say they were injured on rides taken between April 2 and September 14, 2025. All five are represented by Orlando personal injury attorney Nick Spetsas.¹

Each complaint brings one count of negligence against both defendants and one count of strict product liability against Mack Rides. The plaintiffs allege the ride “subjects passengers to extreme and violent G-forces, sudden changes in acceleration, and lateral forces,” that riders’ heads were “improperly restrained,” and that heads were “repeatedly shaken violently.” Reported symptoms include dizziness, headaches, and nausea after the ride.²

Freeman says she now requires spinal surgery. Smiley alleges she suffered a stroke as a direct result of the ride. Charles Buist, who works with Spetsas, described injuries across the five cases as including “traumatic brain injury, brain bleed, stroke and paralysis.” Mack Rides had not publicly responded to the allegations as of late 2025.²³

An earlier case came from Seminole County resident Sandi Streets, who sued on September 24, 2025, saying her “head shook violently and slammed into her seat’s headrest throughout the duration of the ride” on an April 30 visit. The suit settled on undisclosed terms and was voluntarily dismissed two days later, on September 26.⁴

The Death of Kevin Rodriguez Zavala

On September 17, 2025, 32-year-old Kevin Rodriguez Zavala became unresponsive while riding Stardust Racers and was pronounced dead at a hospital. The Orange County Medical Examiner ruled the death accidental and cited “multiple blunt impact injuries” as the cause. Zavala had a preexisting spinal condition and used a wheelchair. His girlfriend, who rode with him, told investigators he lunged forward on the first hill, struck his head on the metal lap bar, and continued hitting his head during the ride. He returned to the station with severe facial trauma and a fractured femur.⁵⁶

The Orange County Sheriff’s Office closed its investigation on December 11, 2025, finding no criminal acts.⁷

Zavala’s family retained civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who called Universal’s decision to reopen the ride in early October “spoliation of evidence” and a “grave risk to public safety,” and argued that if the ride “functioned as intended,” then “the design itself is deadly.” The family did not sue. They reached a confidential “amicable resolution” with Universal.⁸⁹

Universal’s Response and the Ride’s Status

Universal Orlando Resort President Karen Irwin told employees a “comprehensive technical and operational review,” conducted with local officials, Mack Rides, and an independent roller coaster engineering expert, found that the “ride systems functioned properly throughout the boarding process, the duration of the ride, and upon the ride vehicle’s return to the station.”¹⁰

Universal updated signage and boarding rules. A prior requirement that guests be able to “take a small step into the ride vehicle compartment, either independently or with assistance from your companion” was replaced with a rule that “guests using mobility devices must be able to walk independently.” The coaster closed again in early February 2026 for maintenance and inspection and reopened on March 26, 2026.¹⁰⁷

Harry Potter Ride Lawsuits

The $7.25 Million Hollywood Verdict, Then Vacated

On February 14, 2025, a federal jury in the Central District of California awarded $7.25 million to Pamela Morrison, a 74-year-old Arizona woman who sued Universal City Studios LLC over injuries she suffered in September 2022 while exiting “Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey” at Universal Studios Hollywood. She fractured her lower back and tore muscle around her hip.¹¹

Morrison testified that her safety harness failed to lock and she was asked to leave the ride, then slipped stepping from a moving walkway onto the stationary floor. Her attorney Taylor Kruse argued the perpendicular transition was inherently dangerous and that stopping the walkway would have taken four seconds; expert witness Ban Choi of the Institute of Risk and Safety Analyses testified to the same design problem. Kruse said the park moved roughly 1,800 riders per hour and prioritized throughput over safety. Universal attorney Edward Ward argued Morrison caused her own fall by watching her grandson instead of her footing. The jury deliberated about four hours after a three-day trial and returned a unanimous verdict: $250,000 in economic damages, $2 million for past pain and suffering, and $5 million for future pain and suffering.¹²¹³

The verdict did not stand. On April 16, 2026, the parties jointly asked the court to vacate the judgment as part of a confidential settlement. The court granted the request on April 24, 2026.¹⁴

Twin Brothers Sue Over Battle at the Ministry

Twin brothers Erick and Derrick Burroughs, both 45, filed separate suits on February 20, 2026, over injuries they say they sustained on Christmas Day 2025 while riding “Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry” at Epic Universe. Represented by Morgan & Morgan, they allege the ride vehicle malfunctioned and stopped abruptly, “thrusting” them “erratically” and causing neck and back injuries. John Morgan claimed the ride has been “plagued by repeated malfunctions, glitches and hard stops since it opened.” Each brother seeks more than $50,000 and a jury trial. Universal said it “does not comment on pending litigation.”¹⁵¹⁶

Rider Stuck on Forbidden Journey in Orlando

St. Johns County resident Casey Causey sued in Florida’s Ninth Judicial Circuit in mid-2025 over a July 2, 2023, incident on “Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey” at Islands of Adventure. Causey alleges the ride stopped abruptly and left his cart suspended in the air, tilted backward and to the right, for roughly an hour before being righted. The suit alleges negligence and that the ride was a “defective product,” citing Universal’s alleged awareness of similar prior malfunctions. Causey seeks more than $50,000.¹⁷¹⁸

OSHA Citation Over Employee Shock

On April 24, 2025, an employee doing routine maintenance on “Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry” at Epic Universe took a severe shock from a 480-volt busbar that had not been properly locked out. He sustained a dislocated shoulder, broken ribs, and a fractured arm.¹⁹

OSHA initially proposed a $16,550 fine. Universal negotiated it down to $11,585 through an informal settlement and does not appear to have contested the citation. A follow-up OSHA inspection on April 29, 2025, found “no unusual circumstances” and noted the concerns had been addressed.²⁰

Why Florida’s Inspection Rule Keeps Coming Up

The regulatory backdrop matters for anyone reading these cases. Under Section 616.242 of the Florida Statutes, permanent amusement facilities with at least 1,000 full-time employees and their own in-house safety inspectors are exempt from state ride inspections. Universal, Walt Disney World, and SeaWorld all qualify.²¹

After Zavala’s death, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services did not run an independent investigation. Universal invited FDACS to observe its own testing and review its own data. FDACS said in September 2025 that its findings “align with those shared by Universal,” while noting the investigation was ongoing. Exempt parks still file annual inspection affidavits, carry at least $1 million in liability insurance per occurrence, and report accidents requiring hospital or urgent care treatment. The state can issue emergency shutdown orders for rides posing serious danger but did not do so in any of these matters.²²²³

1
Florida Today. Epic Universe Universal Stardust Racers Roller Coaster Injuries Death Lawsuits
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People. Universal Orlando Lawsuit Stardust Racers Roller Coaster Epic Universe Head Neck Injuries
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WESH. Lawsuits Filed Universal Mack Rides Stardust Racers Injuries
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Florida Politics. Lawyer Ben Crump Says Universal Missed Red Flags That Stardust Racers Was Not Safe
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CNN. Epic Universe Death Stardust Racers
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FOX 35 Orlando. Kevin Rodriguez Zavala Report Explains What Happened Stardust Racers Ride
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Florida Today. Epic Universe Stardust Racers Death Body Cam Video Release Kevin Zavala
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Fox Business. Universal Orlando Reopening Stardust Racers Roller Coaster Two Weeks After Mans Death
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WESH. Attorney Universal Rodriguez Zavala Family Reach Resolution
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FOX 35 Orlando. Stardust Racers Update Attorney Ben Crump Zavala Family Condemn Epic Universe Ride Opening
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People. Woman Injured Harry Potter Forbidden Journey Lawsuit Wins Universal Hollywood
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The Independent. Harry Potter Ride Grandmother Crushed Spine Lawsuit
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FOX LA. Harry Potter Ride Universal Studios Hollywood Lawsuit
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Law360. Pamela L. Morrison v. Universal City Studios, LLC et al
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Orlando Sentinel. Brothers Sue Universal After Alleged Injuries on Harry Potter Ride at Epic Universe
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USA Today. Twins Sue Universal as Epic Universe Lawsuits Mount
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Click Orlando. Guest Sues Universal Orlando After Getting Stuck on Harry Potter Ride for Approximately One Hour
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Law and Crime. Man Stuck in Tilted Position on Broken Harry Potter Ride at Universal for an Hour Lawsuit Says
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Florida Politics. OSHA Fines Universal After Employee Gets Electrical Shock at Epic Universe Ride
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People. Universal Employee Suffers Electrical Shock and Dislocated Shoulder From Epic Universe Ride
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Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Fair Rides Inspection
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Click Orlando. Florida Investigator Invited to Observe Testing After Universal Roller Coaster Death
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Florida Legislature. Section 616.242, Florida Statutes