A St. Augustine man filed a $50,000 lawsuit against Universal Orlando Resort, alleging that he suffered serious physical and emotional injuries after being stranded on a malfunctioning Harry Potter-themed ride for over an hour, according to reports.
The Independent said the plaintiff, Casey Causey, claims he was left suspended midair at an uncomfortable angle on the ride Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey at Universal’s Islands of Adventure in July 2023.
The lawsuit, filed on May 28, alleges that the ride “came to an abrupt stop,” leaving Causey tilted backward and to the right for approximately 60 minutes before the cart was repositioned.
Causey is suing Universal on two counts: premises liability and negligence.
His attorney argues that Universal was aware of prior issues with the ride and failed to take appropriate steps to fix the issue or caution riders.
The suit claims the ride constitutes a “defective product,” and accuses Universal of putting profits over safety by keeping the ride operational despite known risks.
The lawsuit also alleges that Universal failed to properly inspect the ride, train employees to identify hazards, or implement effective procedures for safely evacuating guests during emergencies, such as power outages.
Causey asserts that he has suffered from “disability, disfigurement, scarring, [and] mental anguish,” in addition to medical expenses anda loss of income.
“We do not comment on pending litigation,” Universal told the outlet, and Causey’s attorney didn’t comment, they reported.
