Five More People Have Sued Universal Over Stardust Racers. The Injuries Include Brain Bleeds, Stroke, and Paralysis.

The first time most Floridians heard about Stardust Racers was in September 2025, when Kevin Rodriguez Zavala, 32, was found unresponsive after riding the roller coaster at Universal's new Epic Universe theme park in Orlando. He later died. The medical examiner attributed his death to multiple blunt impact injuries.

Weeks later, a second person — Sandi Streets — sued Universal, alleging that the ride's improper restraints caused her head to violently slam against the headrest throughout the duration of the ride, resulting in permanent injuries.

Those were not isolated events.

Five New Lawsuits Filed December 2025

On December 18, 2025, five additional guests filed separate lawsuits in Orange County Circuit Court against Universal City Development Partners and Mack Rides — the German company that designed and manufactured Stardust Racers — after suffering what their attorney described as "life-altering injuries" on the attraction.

The plaintiffs and their alleged injuries, as reported in court filings and news coverage:

Bonita Freeman (Appomattox, Virginia): Freeman alleges her head "was violently shaken, repeatedly" while riding Stardust Racers on August 13, 2025. She has since suffered paralysis and now requires spinal surgery.

Debbie Reinelt (North Carolina): Reinelt alleges she experienced dizziness, headache, and nausea following her ride on May 5, 2025 — during preview events before the park officially opened to the public.

Breanna Bradford (Florida): Identified in filings as having sustained severe and permanent injuries.

Jason Rodriguez (Florida): Identified in filings as having sustained severe and permanent injuries.

Brittany Smiley (Ohio): Identified in filings as having sustained severe and permanent injuries.

Attorney Charles Buist, who filed the lawsuits alongside Nicholas Spetsas, publicly stated that his clients had incurred injuries "ranging from traumatic brain injury, to brain bleed, stroke and paralysis." He told reporters he expected more people to come forward with similar claims.

Just days before the five suits were filed, the family of Kevin Rodriguez Zavala announced they had reached a confidential settlement — described by their attorney Benjamin Crump as an "amicable resolution" — with Universal regarding his death.

What the Lawsuits Claim

All five lawsuits point to the same core allegation: that Stardust Racers' head restraint system failed to properly secure riders, allowing their heads to be thrown violently against hard surfaces during the ride. Mack Rides, in addition to Universal, is named as a defendant on the theory that the ride's design contributed to the injuries.

Universal has previously stated that its internal review found all ride systems to be functioning normally and that proper procedures were followed. State investigators opened an inquiry after Rodriguez Zavala's death. When Stardust Racers reopened approximately two weeks after his death, Universal added updated warnings and eligibility requirements for riders.

The Reach Speeds of 62 Miles Per Hour on Over 5,000 Feet of Track

Stardust Racers is a high-speed roller coaster at Epic Universe that can reach 62 miles per hour as riders travel across more than 5,000 feet of track. Multiple guests have reported incidents not only during the ride itself but also during loading and unloading — phases that frequently generate theme park injury claims when ride vehicles move unexpectedly or restraints release too quickly.

Florida is home to more major theme parks than any other state, and under Florida premises liability law, theme park operators owe visitors a duty of reasonable care. That duty extends to ride design, maintenance, operation, staffing, and the information provided to guests about ride risks.

When a Ride Causes Serious Injury — What Florida Law Says

Florida's theme park injury landscape is shaped by several legal principles that riders and their families should understand:

Premises Liability

Under Florida premises liability law, a business that invites the public onto its property — including a theme park — has a duty to maintain reasonably safe conditions. When a dangerous condition exists that the property owner knew about (or should have known about), and someone is injured as a result, the owner may be liable for the resulting damages.

Products Liability

When the dangerous condition is the ride itself — whether due to a design defect, manufacturing defect, or failure to warn about known risks — claims can also be brought against the company that designed or manufactured the ride. In the Stardust Racers cases, Mack Rides is named alongside Universal for precisely this reason.

What You Can Seek Compensation For

In a successful Florida personal injury case arising from a theme park incident, compensation may include medical expenses (past and future), lost wages and loss of earning capacity, physical pain and suffering, emotional distress, and permanent disability or impairment.

The Statute of Limitations in Florida

Florida generally gives personal injury plaintiffs two years from the date of injury to file a lawsuit, following a 2023 change to Florida Statute § 95.11. This is a hard deadline — missing it typically means losing the right to pursue the claim entirely. If you were injured on a ride at a Florida theme park in 2024 or 2025, time may already be running short.

If You Were Hurt on Stardust Racers — or Any Florida Theme Park Ride

A growing record of lawsuits does not automatically establish liability — but it does mean the courts will eventually have access to evidence from multiple cases, including discovery materials about the ride's design, warning protocols, and the company's knowledge of prior incidents. That pattern of litigation matters.

If you or someone you know was injured on Stardust Racers or any other attraction at a Florida theme park, do not wait to speak with an attorney. The consultation is free, and the time you have to act is not unlimited.

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If you think you may have a case, Consumer Rights Law, PLLC offers free consultations and works on contingency — you pay nothing unless we win. Call (786) 360-7697 or visit consumerrights.law.

Consumer Rights Law, PLLC — Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes. This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or create an attorney-client relationship.

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Editorial notice: The cases and lawsuits described in this post were filed and handled by other attorneys. Consumer Rights Law, PLLC was not involved in any of these matters and references them for educational purposes only.