Universal tourist sues after she said she got whiplash on a roller coaster

An Alabama woman is suing Universal in federal court after she said she was hurt riding Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit in 2021.

Annie Parrish moved her lawsuit from the Orange Circuit Court to the U.S. District Court this week.

She claims she got whiplash and had three herniated discs in her cervical spine after riding the Universal Studios roller coaster known for playing music while riders whizzed up to 65 mph. Universal shut down the ride earlier this year to make way for something new.

Parrish demanded $1 million from Universal to settle the lawsuit last year after incurring $18,500 in medical bills, court records showed.

Parrish’s attorney insisted the $1 million demand “is not mere puffery.”

The demand letter said Parrish went to the emergency room the same day she rode the coaster, complaining of severe neck pain.

“She described the pain as throbbing and 10/10 in severity,” according to the demand letter that was included in court records and detailed her list of treatments and medical visits.

Parrish said she “boarded the ride and secured her lap restraint,” but Universal employees “did not check the restraint and/or otherwise failed to fully secure Plaintiff into the ride,” according to her lawsuit initially filed in October 2025 in state court. “As a result of that failure, she was launched forward and unable to reposition her neck and head, causing significant injuries.”

Universal denied many of the allegations in her lawsuit.

“If Plaintiff was injured as alleged, she was fully aware of the risk,” Universal said in response to her lawsuit. “She expressly assumed all risk and is barred from recovery by express assumption of the risk.”

Universal also said Parrish “negligently and carelessly failed to follow the instructions and warnings for the ride and her own negligence caused or contributed to her injury.”

Universal and Parrish’s attorneys did not respond to a request for comment Friday for this story.

Universal has been in the headlines over ride safety after a man with disabilities died after riding a roller coaster at the new Epic Universe theme park in September.

New media reports this week detailed the tragic circumstances of Kevin Rodriguez Zavala’s death.

His head had slammed into the seat in front of him repeatedly with blood splattering on his girlfriend who tried in vain to call for help as the ride went on. Rodriguez Zavala’s femur had been broken in half, according to the Orlando Sentinel.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Office investigated and said the 32-year-old’s death was accidental and no criminal charges will be filed.

Universal Orlando President Karen Irwin previously said Stardust Racers was operating properly at the time of his death and employees followed proper protocols.

“In addition, the ride system manufacturer of record and an independent, third-party roller coaster engineering expert conducted their own on-site testing and validated our findings,” Irwin wrote in a memo to employees this Fall.