ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – A Florida couple is accusing Universal Studios of being responsible for a “traumatic brain injury” suffered on one of its rollercoasters, according to court documents filed on Wednesday.
The lawsuit says that the Broward County couple — husband Richard Clem and wife Geriann Clem — were visiting the park on Feb. 11, 2023.
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On that day, Geriann Clem decided to ride the Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit roller coaster, which reaches a top speed of 65 mph and a height of 167 feet, the lawsuit shows.
However, her head “shook violently and slammed into her seat’s headrest throughout the duration of the ride,” the lawsuit reads.
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As a result, the lawsuit claims Geriann Clem suffered a brain injury.
Due to this, the couple is accusing Universal of negligence and loss of consortium, the lawsuit states. They are seeking over $50,000 in damages.
The Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit has made headlines in the past for technical issues that required passengers to be rescued.
In 2013, riders were trapped on the ride for over two hours, and six riders became stuck in one of the coaster’s cars in 2019.
Just last year, riders were left suspended on the track after the roller coaster stopped mid-ride, leaving the passengers suspended along the track.
The full lawsuit has been attached to this story and can be read in the media viewer below.
Rip Ride Rockit by Anthony Talcott on Scribd
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