Florida mother sues Universal after son allegedly injured on Epic Universe ride
ORLANDO, Fla. (ABNN) — Jennifer Lundy filed a negligence lawsuit against Universal Orlando in Orange County on August 17, 2026. Mack Rides, the ride’s manufacturer, is listed as a co-defendant. The case was moved to federal court in September.
Lundy alleges that her son, who was 8 at the time, lost consciousness while riding Stardust Racers on October 13, 2025.
Her attorney, Nick Spetsas, said the child met the ride’s requirements before boarding with his father during a family vacation.
Spetsas said the forces of the ride caused the child to pass out and strike his head inside the ride vehicle. He said the child suffered cuts around and inside his mouth and has continued to experience spinal pain. The lawsuit alleges he also sustained orthopedic, spinal and neurological injuries.
“Universal’s employees allowed the child on the ride, the Universal employees lowered the safety bar, the Universal employees hit the start button on the ride,” Spetsas said in an interview with American Black News Network.
Stardust Racers is a dual-launch coaster in Epic Universal’s Celestial Park. According to Universal’s website, the attraction reaches speeds of up to 62 mph and heights of up to 133 feet and has 5,000 feet of track. The ride opened in May 2025 and includes several inversions, including a “Celestial Spin,” in which the ride vehicles cross each other.
Although Universal declined to provide ABNN with a comment on this pending litigation, Spetsas said the company has responded to the lawsuit asserting comparative negligence and a preexisting-condition defense. He disputed both defenses, saying the family had followed the park’s rules and that the child had no known preexisting condition.
“No parent would gamble their child’s health and safety by putting them on a ride if they knew [this] was gonna happen at the end of the ride,” Spetsas said. “You’re supposed to trust these theme parks, and that’s just what Jennifer did. She trusted the theme park.”
Spetsas also said his firm is handling other claims involving Stardust Racers. He said those matters include a federal case involving a client who was paralyzed and underwent cervical spinal-fusion surgery, as well as claims alleging brain bleeds and strokes.
According to Spetsas, this lawsuit aims to prompt safety changes rather than simply seek compensation. He said families who follow a theme park’s boarding rules should be able to expect that riders will leave safely.
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