A Florida mother is suing Universal Orlando Resort after alleging that her 9-year-old son lost consciousness while riding the high-speed Stardust Racers roller coaster at Epic Universe and was injured as his head and body were thrown around the ride vehicle.
Jennifer Lundy claims the incident happened on Oct. 13, 2025, during a visit to Universal’s newest theme park with her son, identified in court documents only as L.L.
According to the lawsuit, the boy met the ride’s minimum 48-inch height requirement before boarding Stardust Racers.
The dueling roller coaster reaches speeds of up to 62 mph and climbs as high as 133 feet.
But Lundy alleges her son lost consciousness because of the forces generated during the ride.
While he was unconscious, the lawsuit claims, his head and face repeatedly struck hard surfaces inside the ride vehicle because there was no restraint or support designed to stabilize his head, neck or upper body.
An on-ride photograph included with the complaint allegedly shows the child slumped and apparently unconscious during the ride.
The lawsuit claims L.L. suffered blunt-force injuries to his head and face, along with orthopedic and spinal injuries.
Lundy is suing Universal City Development Partners and Mack Rides, the German company that manufactured the attraction.
Her complaint alleges the companies knew or should have known that the coaster posed an unsafe or unreasonably dangerous condition.
Those claims have not been proven in court.
The lawsuit was originally filed in August and was later moved to federal court in September.
Lundy is seeking more than $50,000 in damages, excluding legal fees and court costs.
The case comes amid continued scrutiny of Stardust Racers following a fatal incident involving another guest in 2025.
On Sept. 17, 2025, 32-year-old Kevin Rodriguez Zavala became unresponsive while riding the same coaster.
He was taken to a hospital and later pronounced dead.
The Orange County Medical Examiner determined that Zavala died from multiple blunt impact injuries and ruled his death an accident.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office later closed its investigation after finding no evidence of criminal wrongdoing.
Investigators said the attraction operated as intended and that employees followed established procedures.
Zavala’s family later reached what attorneys described as an amicable resolution with Universal. The terms were kept confidential.
Other lawsuits have also been filed by guests who claim they were injured while riding Stardust Racers.
Lundy’s attorney, Nicholas Spetsas, said his firm has represented several plaintiffs who have made injury claims involving the attraction.
He argues that the number of complaints warrants closer scrutiny of the ride.
Universal, however, has disputed Lundy’s allegations.
In its response to the lawsuit, lawyers for the company argued that Lundy knowingly allowed her son to participate in a thrill ride involving rapid acceleration, deceleration, lateral movement and significant body motion.
Universal also alleges that Lundy herself was negligent in failing to use reasonable care for her child’s safety.
The company has not admitted that the ride was defective or that its operation caused the boy’s alleged injuries.
Mack Rides is also contesting the claims.
Stardust Racers remains one of Epic Universe’s signature attractions.
The legal battle will now move forward in federal court, where both sides will have an opportunity to present evidence about the ride, its restraint system and what happened to the 9-year-old during the October 2025 visit.