Nearly a year after a terrifying fall during the 2025 Miss Universe pageant in Bangkok, former Miss Jamaica Gabrielle Henry has taken legal action against the organization.
Henry, a 28-year-old ophthalmology resident and founder of the See Me Foundation, filed a lawsuit in Delaware Superior Court.
The lawsuit accuses the Miss Universe Organization and two of its parent companies of negligence and unsafe stage conditions. 
The Fall in November That Went Viral
On November 19, 2025, Henry was competing in the preliminary evening-gown round. She was following the rehearsed choreography when she fell roughly five feet through an allegedly unmarked and uncovered opening in the stage. According to the lawsuit, the opening contained lighting equipment and concrete.
Henry says that the intense stage lighting impaired her vision; she lost consciousness on impact and was rushed to the hospital immediately on a stretcher.
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Injuries Caused by the Fall
According to the lawsuit, Henry sustained some serious injuries due to the fall, including:
- A traumatic brain injury that included bleeding in and around the brain
2. A fracture
3. Facial lacerations and other significant trauma.
She was hospitalized in Bangkok from November 19 to December 10, 2025, and spent days in intensive care under constant neurological monitoring.
Before the accident, she was building a career as an eye doctor. Henry says the injuries have, however, left her unable to resume her medical residency as she has continued to deal with neurological and cognitive symptoms nearly a year later.
Why Henry is Suing 9 Months Later
In the complaint, Henry brings five claims, including negligence, premises liability, negligent hiring, retention and supervision, and both negligent and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
Henry has no memory of the fall. However, she alleges that other contestants had already raised concerns about the lighting and staging before her fall. After the incident, the stage was reportedly repaired with bright white lights along the edges.
Henry has said she is filing the lawsuit because accountability matters. She added the platforms contestants walk on should be completely safe so this never happens to anyone else.
The Miss Universe Organization’s Response
The Miss Universe Organization has stated that Henry’s health and well-being have always been a priority. It previously covered her medical and rehabilitation costs in Thailand, as well as expenses for her family while they stayed by her side.
In an earlier joint statement with her family, the organization said it assumed full responsibility for her care without hesitation.
As of now, the organization says it has not yet been formally served with the lawsuit and therefore cannot comment on the specific allegations.
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