Georgia Mother Sues Universal Orlando, Claiming Stardust Racers Roller Coaster Caused Son’s Permanent Injuries

A Georgia mother has initiated legal action against Universal Orlando Resort and coaster manufacturer Mack Rides, alleging that her 9-year-old son suffered severe, permanent injuries while riding the Stardust Racers roller coaster at Universal’s Epic Universe theme park.

Patrick Connolly/Orlando Sentinel/Tribune News Service via Getty

The negligence lawsuit, filed by Jennifer Lundy of Valdosta, Georgia, claims that the high-speed coaster generated intense physical forces that caused her young son to lose consciousness. Unconscious and lacking upper-body restraints, the child’s head and face repeatedly struck hard structural surfaces inside the ride vehicle.

Universal Orlando Resort has pushed back against the claims in legal filings, alleging that Lundy herself was negligent by failing to exercise reasonable care for her child's safety.

Key Allegations in the Universal Orlando Roller Coaster Lawsuit

The civil complaint details a family trip that ended in a medical emergency on October 13, 2025. According to court documents, Lundy’s son—identified in court records as L.L.—boarded the dual-track launch coaster alongside his father.

       

The lawsuit states that during the ride, which reaches speeds of up to 62 mph and heights of 133 feet, the gravitational forces (G-forces) caused the boy to lose consciousness. Because the attraction utilizes lap-bar restraints without shoulder harnesses, there was no secondary mechanism to keep his upper body upright once he fainted.

Onboard Camera Photographs Used as Evidence

As evidence of the incident, the complaint includes a frame captured by the roller coaster's onboard automated photo system. The photograph shows the 9-year-old rider slumped over in his seat mid-ride, unable to stay upright.

Following the ride, the boy’s parents immediately sought medical care from Universal Orlando’s health services personnel on-site. Due to the severity of his condition, he was subsequently transported to a hospital for emergency treatment.

Impact of Injuries and Attorney’s Response to Negligence Claims

The lawsuit asserts that the 9-year-old sustained life-altering orthopedic and neurological injuries. Nicholas Spetsas, an Orlando-based attorney representing Lundy, provided additional context regarding the young boy's recovery process.

Spetsas stated that the minor has been unable to physically attend school since the October 2025 incident. The child is currently undergoing intensive physical therapy to regain his ability to walk correctly and continues to suffer from debilitating chronic back pain alongside head, neck, and spinal trauma.

Defense Controversy: Comparative Fault Arguments

In response to the civil filing, Universal suggested that Lundy shared liability for allowing her child to ride the attraction without ensuring his personal safety.

Spetsas strongly rejected any assertion that his client acted carelessly. He noted that the boy met all published height and age criteria set by the park to ride Stardust Racers, arguing that parents rely on theme park operators to ensure that attractions passing height requirements are fundamentally safe for children.

Connection to Prior Stardust Racers Fatality at Epic Universe

The lawsuit draws a direct connection between the boy's injuries and a previous fatal incident on the same attraction. Just weeks before Lundy's visit, on September 17, 2025, 32-year-old Kissimmee resident Kevin Rodriguez Zavala died after riding Stardust Racers.

An investigation into Zavala's death revealed he died from multiple blunt impact injuries after becoming unresponsive during the ride. State inspectors and Universal engineers examined the coaster, updated rider safety criteria, and reopened the attraction on October 4, 2025—nine days before Lundy's son rode it.

Lundy’s lawsuit contends that Universal and Mack Rides were fully aware of the design's potential hazards following Zavala’s death but failed to add necessary structural safety features—such as torso restraints or modified padding—to protect unconscious or physically compromised riders from impact.

Legal Proceedings and Jurisdiction Transfer

Lundy initially filed the civil action on August 17, 2026, in the Circuit Court of the Ninth Judicial Circuit in Orange County, Florida. The complaint names two primary business entities as co-defendants:

1. Universal City Development Partners, Ltd. (Operating entity for Universal Orlando Resort)
2. Mack Rides GmbH & Co. KG (The German manufacturer that designed and constructed the attraction)

Due to diversity of citizenship among the parties—with the plaintiff residing in Georgia, Universal operating in Florida, and Mack Rides based in Germany—the case was formally transferred to Federal Court in September 2026. The federal lawsuit seeks financial damages exceeding standard jurisdictional thresholds to cover ongoing medical expenses, long-term rehabilitation costs, and loss of life enjoyment.

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