Epic Universe's Troubled Roller Coaster Slammed With Even More Lawsuits, Lifelong Injuries Reported

Universal’s new roller coaster has been hit with several more lawsuits.

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A total of five lawsuits have been placed against Universal and its new Stardust Racers roller coaster due to alleged injuries suffered while on the ride, according to WESH 2. These lawsuits also target Mack Rides, the coaster’s manufacturer. Attorney Nicholas Spetsas filed the suits.

Each plaintiff claims their head shook violently due to improper restraints, resulting in permanent injuries.

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These lawsuits come after the death of 32-year-old Kevin Rodriguez Zavala, who passed away after riding Stardust Racers in September. Zavala lost consciousness while onboard and was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

The medical examiner confirmed Zavala died from multiple blunt impact injuries. A CNN report revealed Zavala suffered a deep gash on the left side of his forehead, a fractured bony ridge above his eye, bleeding above the skull, bruising on his abdomen and arms, and fractures to his nose and right thigh bone.

Zavala’s family tapped civil rights attorney Ben Crump to represent him in a lawsuit.

“We believe that these were warning signs that there was something wrong with the design of this ride and that they tried to blame the victims,” Crump said.

Universal and Mack Rides maintain that the roller coaster functioned properly. The Orange County Sheriff’s Office concluded there was no negligence on Universal’s part.

Universal settled with the family of Kevin Rodriguez Zavala.

Stardust Racers opened alongside Epic Universe on May 22, 2025, and quickly became one of the park’s most popular rides.

The roller coaster harkens back to Universal Orlando’s “golden years” with its dueling style, something not seen since Dueling Dragons closed in 2017. Not only does Stardust Racers feature a dual-launch system, the ride also reaches speeds upwards of 60 miles per hour and a maximum height of 133 feet.

While not as intense as Jurassic World VelociCoaster, Stardust Racers is one of the more thrilling rides offered at Universal Orlando Resort, though many people, fans and experts alike, are perplexed by the sheer number of issues arising from this coaster.

Spetsas said his clients hope these actions will spark change. He expects more lawsuits to come in the future.

Stay tuned here at Inside the Magic for all Universal Studios news and updates.