Woman sues Universal Orlando over injuries on roller coaster linked to death on same ride

ORLANDO, Fla. — A woman has filed a negligence lawsuit against Universal Orlando Resort in state court, alleging she was injured on a roller coaster at the company’s new Epic Universe theme park. The suit, filed Wednesday in Orlando, comes about a week after a man died from blunt‑impact injuries after riding the same coaster.

Plaintiff Sandi Streets said she was invited to Epic Universe a few weeks before it opened to the public in May and rode the ride described as a dual‑launch coaster capable of speeds up to 62 mph (100 kph). According to the complaint, her head shook violently and slammed into the seat’s headrest, causing permanent injuries. The suit says Streets has suffered disability, medical care expenses, loss of the ability to work and an exacerbation of a preexisting condition since the ride.

The complaint also says the ride failed to restrain her head properly and that Universal failed to provide adequate warnings about the ride’s unsafe and unreasonably dangerous condition. Streets’ attorney, Nicholas Spetsas, did not respond Thursday to an email seeking further details on her injuries. Universal Orlando Resort did not respond to a request for comment about the lawsuit.

In the same week, Kevin Rodriguez Zavala, 32, died after riding the same coaster. The Orlando area medical examiner ruled the cause of death as multiple blunt‑impact injuries and said the manner of death was an accident. Zavala had a spinal disability from birth and used a wheelchair; his family said his disability did not cause his death. They also questioned the investigation’s conclusions at a news conference Wednesday and said they want to understand how he died. Zavala’s family has not filed a lawsuit yet.

Universal President Karen Irwin said in a note to workers last weekend that internal findings showed ride systems functioned normally, equipment was intact and Universal workers followed the proper procedures. Investigators with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services said their initial findings align with the park’s account. The case draws renewed attention to safety practices at Epic Universe, which opened to the public in May and features several high‑speed thrill rides.