Nearly a year after a stage accident ended her Miss Universe campaign, Jamaican doctor and beauty queen Gabrielle Henry has taken legal action against the pageant organisation.
Henry, who represented Jamaica at the 2025 Miss Universe competition in Thailand, filed a lawsuit on September 21 in Delaware Superior Court against the Miss Universe Organisation, JKN Legacy Inc. and Legacy Holding Group USA.
The 28-year-old alleges that unsafe conditions during the November 19 preliminary competition contributed to her fall and the injuries that followed. Her complaint includes claims of negligence, premises liability, negligent hiring, retention and supervision, as well as emotional distress.
According to the lawsuit, Henry was carrying out rehearsed choreography when she fell about five feet through an opening that she alleges was unmarked and uncovered. She also claims that stage lighting affected her ability to see clearly.
The fall left Henry with a traumatic brain injury and other serious injuries. She was hospitalised in Bangkok from November 19 to December 10, 2025, according to the complaint. A December statement from her family and the Miss Universe Organisation confirmed that she had suffered an intracranial haemorrhage, loss of consciousness, a fracture and facial lacerations.
Henry has since described the accident as life-changing, saying it affected both her recovery and medical career.
The Miss Universe Organisation, however, said it had not received the lawsuit and therefore could not respond to allegations it had not seen. It also said the host and production entities were responsible for the venue, stage and on-site safety arrangements.
The organisation said it paid Henry’s hospital and subsequent specialist medical expenses following the accident.
The allegations in Henry’s lawsuit have yet to be determined by a court.
