Lawsuit alleges eight-year-old suffered permanent injuries on Universal Orlando coaster
A lawsuit filed by Georgia mother Jennifer Lundy alleges that her eight-year-old son lost consciousness on Universal Orlando’s Stardust Racers rollercoaster and was thrown against the ride, suffering severe, permanent injuries. The case matters because it challenges the ride’s safety and restraint design, and alleges that Universal had received earlier reports of riders being injured or losing consciousness.
The boy rode the coaster at Epic Universe on 13 October 2025; it reaches speeds of up to 62mph and requires riders to be at least 48 inches tall, with no minimum age, according to the suit. Universal Orlando and manufacturer MACK Rides are accused of negligence, and the lawsuit seeks at least $50,000 in damages. It also cites the September 2025 death of Kevin Zavala, whose death was ruled accidental; the suit alleges the ride reopened after two weeks with changes to signage and operating procedures but no physical safety modifications.
- A lawsuit says a boy was seriously injured after losing consciousness on Stardust Racers.
- The coaster reaches speeds of up to 62mph.
- Universal and ride maker MACK Rides are accused of negligence.
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A lawsuit has been filed over an incident in which an eight-year-old boy lost consciousness while riding Stardust Racers, a high-speed rollercoaster at Universal Orlando's Epic Universe theme park. The child was thrown against the ride and suffered injuries that the lawsuit describes as severe and permanent. The case has been brought by the boy's mother, Jennifer Lundy from Georgia.
Stardust Racers reaches speeds of 62 miles per hour and requires riders to be at least 48 inches tall, though there is no minimum age requirement. The lawsuit names both Universal Orlando and MACK Rides, the manufacturer, alleging negligence in the ride's design and safety restraints. The claim seeks damages of at least $50,000 and alleges that Universal had previously received reports of riders being injured or losing consciousness on the same attraction.
The case raises questions about ride safety standards and design, particularly regarding how well restraints protect younger or smaller riders. The lawsuit also references an earlier death on the ride in September 2025, which was ruled accidental. After that incident, it reopened following changes to signage and operating procedures, but the lawsuit alleges that no modifications were made to the physical safety features.
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The case for
The lawsuit raises legitimate safety concerns based on evidence in the public record: an eight-year-old lost consciousness and suffered apparent permanent injuries, and a fatality occurred on the same ride just weeks earlier. Universal's response—limited to signage and procedural changes rather than physical modifications to restraints or design—suggests a failure to address potential root causes. Given that the ride has no minimum age requirement despite achieving high speeds and demonstrably causing riders to lose consciousness, these facts reasonably support concerns about inadequate design and operational safety practices.
The case against
Rollercoasters are inherently high-risk activities, and riders willingly assume these risks. The ride met applicable height, age, and other regulatory requirements that governed it at the time of operation. Isolated incidents, however serious, do not necessarily evidence negligence—they may reflect operator error, individual physiological responses, or unforeseeable circumstances rather than design defects. The industry safety standards and procedures that governed the ride's operation reflect reasoned safety judgements, and procedural refinements represent appropriate risk management without necessarily establishing that physical modifications were required or that Universal breached a duty of care.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Boy, 9, tossed around like a ragdoll on 62mph Universal Orlando rollercoaster after passing out, lawsuit claims, with mom sharing photo of him unconscious”.