Former Miss Universe Jamaica Dr. Gabrielle Henry has filed a lawsuit against the Miss Universe Organization and two related companies, nearly one year after a dramatic fall from the pageant stage left her with serious injuries.
Henry filed the lawsuit on September 21, 2026, in Delaware Superior Court, accusing the defendants of negligence and alleging that unsafe stage conditions contributed to her fall during the Miss Universe 2025 preliminary competition in Bangkok, Thailand.
The lawsuit names the Miss Universe Organization, JKN Legacy Inc. and Legacy Holding Group USA as defendants. Henry is pursuing claims including negligence, premises liability, negligent hiring, retention and supervision, as well as negligent and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
Gabrielle Henry recalls terrifying fall
READ ALSO: Cardi B and Maduka Okoye Link Up Again in Milan as Dating Rumours Grow
The incident happened on November 19, 2025, during the preliminary evening gown competition.
According to Henry’s lawsuit, she was following rehearsed choreography when she fell approximately five feet through what she describes as an “unmarked and uncovered opening” in the stage.
The complaint alleges that the opening contained concrete and lighting equipment and was not properly barricaded, illuminated or marked.
Henry also alleges that intense stage lighting affected her ability to see the edge of the platform before she fell.
The former beauty queen lost consciousness during the incident and suffered what the lawsuit describes as a traumatic brain injury, including acute subarachnoid hemorrhage, frontal lobe hemorrhagic contusion and subdural hemorrhage. She also sustained facial lacerations and a fracture.
Henry says accident changed her life
Nearly a year after the accident, Henry has spoken publicly about the impact the fall has had on her life.
In an essay published by PEOPLE, she described the incident as a moment that permanently changed the direction of her life.
She also discussed the experience during a September 24 interview with ABC News’ Deborah Roberts on Good Morning America.
Henry said she has no memory of the actual fall. According to ABC News, her first memory after the incident was seeing her mother standing over her before she lost consciousness again.
Her recovery involved an extended period of hospitalisation. Reports say she remained in hospital in Bangkok from November 19 to December 10, 2025, before continuing her treatment in Jamaica.
Injuries disrupted her medical career
Henry was not only a beauty queen but also a medical doctor pursuing a career in ophthalmology.
According to her lawsuit, the injuries prevented her from returning to her medical residency and have continued to affect her professional plans.
She has reported ongoing neurological and cognitive symptoms, as well as the need for rehabilitation and continued medical care.
The lawsuit seeks damages connected to medical treatment, emotional distress, loss of earning capacity and professional opportunities.
Her case therefore goes beyond the circumstances surrounding the pageant accident, with Henry alleging that the consequences have affected both her personal life and her future as a doctor.
Miss Universe Organization responds
The Miss Universe Organization has disputed aspects of the allegations.
In a statement reported by PEOPLE, the organization said it had not been formally served with or received the lawsuit and therefore could not comment on claims it had not reviewed.
The organization also said responsibility for the production of the 74th Miss Universe competition in Thailand — including the venue, stage and on-site safety — rested with Miss Grand International and Miss Universe Thailand under the direction of Nawat Itsaragrisil.
The organization said it nevertheless paid Henry’s hospital expenses following the accident and later covered specialised treatment after she returned to Jamaica.
It also said Henry had been offered a position as a goodwill ambassador for the Miss Universe team but had not responded to the offer.
Miss Grand International disputes parts of account
Miss Grand International, which was involved in producing the event, has also disputed aspects of Henry’s account.
According to reports, the organisation said Henry may have missed her blocking and may not have been looking at the runway during the walk. It denied that anyone from the organisation blamed her for the accident.
Henry’s lawsuit, however, maintains that the stage conditions were unsafe and that the defendants failed to provide adequate safety measures.
The legal proceedings will now put those competing accounts before the court.
Gabrielle Henry continues recovery
Despite the challenges following the accident, Henry has gradually returned to public life.
She appeared at the 2026 Miss Universe Jamaica pageant in August, where she crowned her successor, Celene Hall. Her appearance marked another public step in her recovery after months away from the spotlight.
Her lawsuit now places the circumstances of her 2025 fall at the centre of a legal dispute over stage safety, responsibility and the long-term consequences of the injuries she says she suffered.
For Henry, the incident that lasted only moments has continued to shape her life nearly a year later. The court case will determine how the competing claims surrounding the accident are addressed under the law.
