A new Six Flags lawsuit alleges that a woman suffered a traumatic brain injury after repeatedly hitting her head while riding the now permanently closed X2 roller coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain in California. The latest legal action comes as the amusement park company reports a $366.1 million quarterly loss and a sharp decline in October attendance following a separate fatal roller coaster accident in Georgia.
According to court documents obtained by TMZ, Destiny Banks claims she was riding X2 on November 7, 2024, when the attraction violently tossed her around, causing the back of her head to repeatedly strike the seat’s headrest. Banks alleges that the experience left her with a traumatic brain injury and that Six Flags failed to provide adequate safety protections.
Her lawsuit accuses the company of failing to install appropriate restraints, protective headrests, and sufficient padding to prevent injuries. Banks also alleges that Six Flags knew about potential dangers associated with X2 but failed to properly warn passengers before they boarded. She is seeking unspecified damages, including compensation for medical expenses and lost wages. The allegations have not been established in court.
The latest Six Flags lawsuit adds another legal challenge involving X2, an extreme roller coaster known for rotating seats that flip riders independently of the track. The attraction was permanently retired in September 2026 following heightened scrutiny of reported injuries, including cases involving severe brain bleeding.
The complaints extend beyond Banks. In September, Patrick Plumlee sued Six Flags Magic Mountain over an alleged traumatic brain injury he says he suffered while riding X2 in 2024. Plumlee claimed the ride repeatedly threw his body around and caused his head to strike the headrest. His lawsuit seeks damages related to medical treatment, emotional distress, lost income, and other alleged losses.
Meanwhile, the number of people coming forward with injury allegations has continued to grow. In September, Dordick Law Corporation announced that more than 100 additional people alleging brain injuries of varying severity after riding X2 had retained the firm. The law firm also announced several lawsuits involving claims of catastrophic brain damage. Those figures represent allegations and potential legal claims, not 100 court findings that X2 caused injuries.
The growing Six Flags lawsuit controversy also follows the death of 22-year-old Christopher Hawley, who died in 2022 after riding X2. His family alleged that he collapsed shortly after exiting the attraction and subsequently died. The family pursued a wrongful death lawsuit and reached a settlement in August 2026. The settlement terms were not publicly disclosed, and the agreement did not establish a public court finding that the roller coaster caused his death.
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While Six Flags was already facing scrutiny over the California attraction, another tragedy unfolded thousands of miles away.
On October 12, 2026, 42-year-old Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem died after being ejected from the Goliath roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia. According to Cobb County police, preliminary witness and employee interviews indicated that Kariem struck other passengers before falling beneath the attraction. Several other people were injured.
Kariem, who worked at an Atlanta charter school, had reportedly been visiting the amusement park with family members to celebrate his niece’s birthday. His death prompted an investigation involving Georgia authorities and the ride’s manufacturer.
The Georgia accident is separate from the Six Flags lawsuit involving Banks and the X2 coaster. However, both developments have placed renewed attention on passenger restraints, ride inspections, and the company’s ability to protect guests across its parks.
Following Kariem’s death, Six Flags temporarily shut down Goliath and eight additional roller coasters that use similar restraint systems. The company subsequently announced plans to add seat belts to Goliath and other applicable attractions with similar restraints. Officials have not established the cause of the fatal accident, and Goliath remains subject to the necessary safety reviews and clearances.
Six Flags CEO John Reilly addressed the two major safety controversies during the company’s November 5 earnings call.
“Confidence isn’t restored with a statement. It is earned through action, and our leadership team is committed to earning it,” Reilly told investors.
He said the company had launched a comprehensive review of its entire ride portfolio with assistance from independent engineering and inspection specialists. Six Flags is also conducting its own internal review of the Georgia accident while cooperating with authorities.
The latest Six Flags lawsuit arrived on the same day Reilly attempted to reassure investors that the recent tragedies would not permanently damage the company’s business.
Asked how long the Georgia incident might affect operations, Reilly acknowledged that predicting consumer behavior following a serious accident is difficult. However, he said that comparable incidents historically have not produced attendance declines lasting multiple years when companies take appropriate action.
“These things are typically not a matter of years and more a matter of months,” Reilly said, making his prediction conditional on Six Flags taking the necessary steps.
He added that the most noticeable effects appeared concentrated at Six Flags Over Georgia and potentially Magic Mountain because of the X2 controversy. Parks experiencing temporary closures of major attractions also faced some disruption, but Reilly said he was not seeing evidence of widespread effects throughout the entire chain.
The company has already experienced measurable attendance losses.
During the earnings call, Six Flags disclosed that October attendance dropped 9% compared with the same month in 2025. Chief Financial Officer Ash Walia attributed approximately half the decline to unfavorable weather during important operating weekends. The other half, he said, was associated with the Georgia fatality and related roller coaster closures.
The decline places additional pressure on Six Flags as it tries to rebuild attendance and improve its financial position. October is particularly important because Halloween attractions and seasonal events typically attract large crowds before many amusement parks reduce operations during colder months.
Alongside the expanding Six Flags lawsuit situation, the company released quarterly financial results showing a net loss attributable to Six Flags of $366.1 million for the third quarter of 2026.
That figure included approximately $687.7 million in noncash impairment charges, reflecting reductions in the accounting value of certain assets. The quarterly loss was smaller than the approximately $1.19 billion loss recorded during the same period in 2025, although it exceeded the roughly $202.6 million loss reported in the second quarter of 2026.
The third quarter ended September 27, before the October Georgia tragedy. Therefore, the newly disclosed $366.1 million loss cannot be attributed to that accident or its subsequent impact on attendance.
Six Flags reported third-quarter revenue of approximately $1.17 billion, an 11% decline compared with the previous year on a reported basis. However, when comparing parks that remained in the company’s operating portfolio, revenue increased 1.4%.
The company also reported approximately $493.2 million in adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization, a measure used to evaluate operating performance. On a same-park basis, that represented a modest improvement compared with the previous year.
Still, October’s weaker performance affected the company’s expectations for the remainder of 2026. Six Flags now anticipates fourth-quarter same-park adjusted earnings of approximately $140 million to $150 million, compared with nearly $167 million during the comparable period in 2025.
As the Six Flags lawsuit allegations continue, executives are also making changes beyond ride safety. Reilly indicated that the company remains open to selling additional properties as it evaluates which parks best fit its long-term business strategy.
Six Flags has already undergone significant changes since its merger with Cedar Fair in 2024, including the closure of Six Flags America in Maryland after the 2025 season and the sale of seven other parks in 2026.
The company is also investing in improvements intended to make its remaining destinations more appealing to families. Plans include additional amenities, upgraded guest experiences, and new attractions. At Magic Mountain, a major refurbishment is planned, along with the addition of the relocated ArieForce One roller coaster from the former Fun Spot America Atlanta location.
Despite those business plans, the company’s immediate safety challenges remain unresolved. The Georgia investigation is ongoing, the allegations surrounding X2 continue to move through the legal system, and the newest lawsuit from Banks adds another claimant seeking accountability for an alleged injury.
