Former Miss Universe Jamaica Gabrielle Henry files lawsuit over 2025 pageant stage fall
TheGrio...
The ophthalmologist and beauty queen alleges negligence and unsafe conditions contributed to her injuries during the 2025 competition in Thailand.
Former Miss Universe Jamaica Gabrielle Henry has filed a lawsuit against the Miss Universe Organization nearly a year after suffering serious injuries in a fall during the 2025 Miss Universe competition in Thailand.
Henry filed the case on Sept. 21 in Delaware Superior Court, naming the Miss Universe Organization along with JKN Legacy Inc. and Legacy Holding Group USA as defendants. The complaint includes claims involving negligence, premises liability and negligent supervision, as well as allegations of emotional distress.
The case centers on the Nov. 19, 2025 incident in Bangkok, when Henry fell from the stage during the preliminary evening gown competition.
According to the lawsuit, she was following rehearsed choreography when she went through an opening that was allegedly left uncovered and without adequate warning. Henry also claims bright stage lighting affected her ability to see the edge of the platform.
The injuries were substantial. Earlier medical updates confirmed that Henry suffered an intracranial hemorrhage, lost consciousness and sustained a fracture and facial lacerations. Her lawsuit says she remained hospitalized in Bangkok from Nov. 19 through Dec. 10 and has continued to experience neurological and cognitive symptoms.
Henry, an ophthalmologist, also alleges that the injuries disrupted her medical career and prevented her from resuming her residency. She is seeking damages tied to medical treatment, lost earning capacity and professional opportunities.
PEOPLE reported that Henry’s complaint also points to alleged concerns raised by other contestants about the staging and lighting. The lawsuit argues that organizers failed to address those concerns adequately and did not maintain a sufficiently safe performance area.
The Miss Universe Organization has disputed aspects of the allegations. In a statement to PEOPLE, the organization said it had not been formally served with the lawsuit and therefore could not comment on claims it had not reviewed. It also said responsibility for the venue, stage and on-site safety rested with host and production entities, including Miss Grand International and Miss Universe Thailand.
The organization added that it paid Henry’s hospital and treatment expenses and later offered her a role as a goodwill ambassador.
The lawsuit now places the circumstances surrounding Henry’s fall before the courts, where the competing accounts of stage safety, responsibility and the events leading to her injuries can be examined through the legal process.