ORLANDO, Fla – A lawsuit against Universal City Development Partners Ltd., claiming negligence related to injuries a woman sustained while riding the Stardust Racers roller coaster at Universal Epic Universe has been settled days after it was filed, according to court records.
The complaint, which sought damages exceeding $50,000, stemmed from an incident on April 30, when the woman, who was a lawful business invitee, rode the coaster.
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According to the complaint, the woman’s “head shook violently and slammed into the seat’s headrest throughout the ride,” causing permanent injuries. She claims Universal failed to maintain the ride in a reasonably safe condition and did not provide adequate warnings about the ride’s dangers.
The case was initiated on Wednesday, Sept. 24, but Orange County court records show Friday the case shows as "Notice of Settlement" and “Voluntary Dismissal.”
The dual-launch coaster is stacked with hills, heights up to 133 feet on a 4,800-foot track, where trains will reach speeds up to 62 mph. The lawsuit also states the coaster has “twists, turns, drops, and flips without providing its riders with any head restraints.”
The woman accused the company of breaching its duty of care by failing to properly restrain riders’ heads, inspect and maintain the roller coaster, correct dangerous conditions, and warn riders adequately.
The lawsuit comes as an investigation is underway into a man’s death after he rode Stardust Racers on Sept. 17.
Kevin Rodriguez Zavala was found unresponsive after riding the roller coaster and later died. His death was ruled an accident, according to a medical examiner who declared the cause of death was from "multiple blunt impact injuries."
Stardust Racers has been closed since the most recent incident as investigators look into what happened.