Six Flags Permanently Retires X2 Roller Coaster After Brain Injury Lawsuits — What Riders Need to Know

Six Flags Magic Mountain has permanently retired its X2 roller coaster after a series of lawsuits alleged that riders suffered serious brain injuries on the attraction.

The decision announced September 29 comes after X2 had been closed since July 12, 2026, following two serious rider incidents. Three new lawsuits filed in September allege that X2 caused catastrophic brain injuries to Pamela Guillen, Naomi Greer-Wilkinson and Michael Wilk. Attorneys representing those plaintiffs also say more than 100 additional people have reported brain injuries connected to the ride. Those additional claims have not been individually established in court.

Six Flags has not admitted that X2 caused the alleged injuries. In its September 29 announcement, Magic Mountain President Brian Oerding said the ride had consistently passed safety tests but that the company decided to retire it because guest confidence had been affected.

For people who previously rode X2, the most important point is that there is no class-action settlement, public claims process or automatic compensation program connected to these injury lawsuits. Someone who believes they were injured generally would need to pursue an individual legal claim, subject to applicable deadlines and the facts of that person’s case.

Quick Facts About the Six Flags Magic Mountain X2 Lawsuits

Detail	Information
Ride	X2 at Six Flags Magic Mountain
Location	Valencia, California
Operator	Magic Mountain, LLC / Six Flags
Ride manufacturer involved in lawsuits	S&S Worldwide, Inc.
Permanent closure announced	September 29, 2026
Temporary closure began	July 12, 2026
New injury lawsuits	Three filed in September 2026
Additional alleged injured riders	More than 100, according to plaintiffs’ attorneys
Reported prior deaths	Two deaths have been identified in court records and reporting involving X2
Current status	X2 permanently retired
Class action	No
Settlement for other riders	None announced
Public claim form	None
Public claim deadline	None

Why Did Six Flags Permanently Close X2?

Six Flags announced the permanent retirement on September 29, saying X2 had operated for almost 20 years and had welcomed more than 16 million guests since its 2008 reopening.

The company specifically said X2 had passed “a multitude of safety tests.” Six Flags nevertheless decided to retire the ride, citing its concern about guest confidence.

That distinction matters legally.

The closure is not an admission that the ride was defective or that Six Flags caused the injuries alleged in the lawsuits. Six Flags’ announcement does not say that the company determined X2 was unsafe or that the reported injuries were caused by a design defect.

Those questions remain disputed in the pending litigation.

What Happened to Pamela Guillen on Six Flags Magic Mountain’s X2?

Pamela Guillen alleges that she suffered a severe brain injury after riding X2 on July 5, 2026.

According to a Los Angeles Superior Court proceeding filed before her personal-injury lawsuit, Guillen alleged that the ride was unusually rough, that she lost consciousness shortly after exiting X2 and that she required surgery for a subdural hematoma.

Guillen filed In the Matter of: Pamela Guillen, Los Angeles Superior Court Case No. 26CHCP00288, seeking pre-litigation inspection and preservation of evidence relating to the X2 coaster. The court denied that petition on September 23, 2026, finding that the statutory requirements for the requested pre-litigation discovery had not been established.

The proceeding was not a ruling that Guillen’s injury claim was false. It concerned whether she could obtain the requested evidence before filing her underlying civil action.

What Happened to Naomi Greer-Wilkinson on Six Flags Magic Mountain’s X2?

Naomi Greer-Wilkinson alleges that she suffered a severe brain injury after riding X2 on July 11, 2026, six days after Guillen’s reported incident.

Her lawsuit alleges that she lost consciousness after leaving the ride and required emergency brain surgery. Her family has said she remained severely impaired after the incident.

The allegations come from the lawsuit and have not been established by a final court judgment.

The timing of the two July incidents became a major part of the subsequent scrutiny surrounding X2. Six Flags closed the ride on July 12 and did not reopen it before announcing its permanent retirement.

What Does Michael Wilk Allege About Six Flags Magic Mountain’s X2?

Michael Wilk, a Los Angeles attorney, is the third plaintiff in the September litigation.

Wilk alleges that he rode X2 in February 2026 and experienced severe symptoms afterward. His lawsuit alleges that medical testing later revealed bleeding and swelling in his brain and that he required two brain surgeries.

His complaint also alleges continuing cognitive problems and other symptoms that affected his ability to practice law.

These are allegations contained in the lawsuit, not findings that Six Flags caused Wilk’s medical condition.

How Many People Say They Were Injured by Six Flags Magic Mountain’s X2?

The attorneys representing the September plaintiffs say they have retained more than 100 additional clients who report traumatic brain injuries connected to X2.

The attorneys have also said that hundreds of people contacted their firm.

Those numbers should not be confused with a court finding that more than 100 people were injured by X2. The claims have not been adjudicated, and there is no certified class covering those individuals.

This distinction is particularly important because a large number of people reporting similar injuries does not by itself establish legal liability.

Were There Earlier Six Flags X2 Deaths?

Court records and prior litigation identify two deaths associated with riders who had been on X2.

In 2010, Hilda Farias, 28, died after developing a brain bleed following a ride on X2. Court records discussed in later litigation indicate that medical experts believed an existing brain abnormality may have ruptured in connection with the forces of the ride. Her family’s lawsuit was later settled for an undisclosed amount.

In 2022, Christopher Hawley, 22, collapsed shortly after riding X2 and died the following day. The Los Angeles County medical examiner classified his death as an accident caused by blunt head trauma from a park-ride accident.

Hawley’s parents sued Magic Mountain and other defendants. The family reached confidential settlements with Six Flags and S&S Worldwide in August 2026, shortly before the scheduled trial.

For the full history of the Hawley case, see [Six Flags X2 Wrongful Death Lawsuit, Hawley Family Heads to Trial Over Fatal Head Trauma].

What Other Six Flags X2 Injury Lawsuits Exist?

The current lawsuits are not the first legal claims involving X2.

One important earlier case is Katerelos v. Magic Mountain, LLC et al., originally filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court and later removed to the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California as Case No. 2:22-cv-00757.

Sheila Katerelos alleged that she suffered a traumatic brain injury while riding X2 in February 2020. The claims included negligence, strict product liability and negligent product liability.

The case has produced conflicting positions about whether the forces generated by X2 could cause the alleged injury. A 2024 ruling granted summary judgment to S&S defendants, although later appellate proceedings revived claims against S&S. Importantly, those proceedings did not establish as a factual finding that X2 caused Katerelos’ injury.

The Katerelos litigation therefore illustrates why the current lawsuits should still be described as allegations rather than established liability.

What Are the X2 Lawsuits Alleging?

The September lawsuits generally raise theories involving negligence, defective design and failure to adequately warn riders about alleged risks associated with X2.

The plaintiffs’ attorneys contend that Six Flags and the ride manufacturer knew or should have known about previous injury reports and failed to take sufficient action.

Six Flags has disputed the underlying allegations in previous litigation and has said it does not comment on pending lawsuits. The company has also maintained that X2 was subject to safety inspections and testing.

Whether those arguments succeed will depend on the evidence in each individual lawsuit.

Does Six Flags’ X2 Closure Mean Six Flags Admitted Liability?

No.

Six Flags’ September 29 announcement says the company chose to permanently retire X2 after considering ride safety and guest confidence. It also states that the attraction had consistently passed safety tests.

The announcement does not state that Six Flags admitted negligence, product liability or responsibility for the injuries alleged in the lawsuits.

A business can permanently discontinue an attraction without conceding that it was legally responsible for previous injuries.

Can People Who Rode Six Flags X2 File Their Own Injury Claims?

Potentially, but there is no general X2 claims program that allows anyone who rode the coaster to submit a form for compensation.

A person who believes they suffered an injury would generally need to establish facts specific to their own claim, including the date of the ride, the injury, medical treatment, causation and the applicable legal deadline.

California personal-injury deadlines can be important. AllAboutLawyer’s guide to California civil lawsuits explains that California generally provides a two-year limitations period for personal-injury claims under Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1, although exceptions and different rules can apply.

Because limitations rules can depend on the circumstances, a rider should not assume that a claim is timely—or untimely—without obtaining advice about the specific facts.

What Should Six Flags X2 Riders Do If They Believe They Were Injured?

There is no Six Flags X2 claim form to complete.

Someone who believes they suffered a significant injury after riding X2 should consider preserving:

1. Medical records and hospital records.
2. Dates and approximate times of X2 rides.
3. Six Flags tickets, receipts or season-pass records.
4. Photographs or videos from the park visit.
5. Names and contact information for people who witnessed the incident.
6. Records showing when symptoms first appeared.
7. Insurance and medical-billing records.
8. Any communications with Six Flags or park employees.
9. Any photographs or videos taken immediately before or after the ride.

The fact that someone experienced a headache, dizziness or another symptom after a roller coaster ride does not by itself establish that the ride caused a brain injury. Medical evidence and the circumstances of the incident can be important in determining causation.

What Happens to the Six Flags X2 Lawsuits Now?

The permanent closure does not automatically end the existing lawsuits.

The plaintiffs can continue pursuing claims concerning injuries that allegedly occurred before X2 was retired. The central legal questions can include whether the defendants owed a duty, whether they breached that duty, whether the ride or its operation caused the alleged injuries, and what damages—if any—the plaintiffs can legally recover.

The closure may also affect future evidence and discovery involving the physical ride, although individual courts will control what evidence can be inspected, preserved or produced.

The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health has also been investigating the ride following the July incidents. As of September 30, 2026, no final public finding from that investigation establishing civil liability has been identified in the sources reviewed.

Key Six Flags X2 Dates

Event	Date
X originally opened at Magic Mountain	2002
Ride reopened as X2 after renovation	2008
Hilda Farias died after riding X2	2010
Sheila Katerelos alleged X2 brain injury	February 16, 2020
Christopher Hawley rode X2	June 23, 2022
Christopher Hawley died	June 24, 2022
Pamela Guillen’s reported X2 incident	July 5, 2026
Naomi Greer-Wilkinson’s reported X2 incident	July 11, 2026
X2 temporarily closed	July 12, 2026
Pamela Guillen filed pre-litigation petition	July 29, 2026
Hawley wrongful-death settlements announced	August 2026
Three new X2 injury lawsuits filed	September 2026
Guillen preservation petition denied	September 23, 2026
Six Flags permanently retired X2	September 29, 2026

Frequently Asked Questions About Six Flags Magic Mountain’s X2 Lawsuits

Is the Six Flags Magic Mountain X2 case a class action?

No. The current X2 injury lawsuits are individual civil cases. There is no certified class and no class-wide settlement or claims process.

Is there a Six Flags X2 settlement for injured riders?

No general settlement for X2 riders has been announced. The Christopher Hawley wrongful-death case was separately resolved through confidential settlements involving his family, Six Flags and S&S Worldwide. That settlement does not create a fund for other X2 riders.

Can Six Flags X2 riders file claims now?

Potentially, depending on the individual circumstances and applicable deadlines. There is no public Six Flags X2 compensation program. A potential claimant should preserve medical and ride-related records and obtain advice about the applicable statute of limitations.

Did Six Flags admit X2 was dangerous?

No. Six Flags said X2 had consistently passed numerous safety tests and announced that it was retiring the ride because of concerns about guest confidence.

Why did Six Flags close X2 permanently?

Six Flags said the decision was based on ride safety and declining guest confidence after almost 20 years of operation. The company did not state that X2 had failed a safety test.

How many people have alleged brain injuries from Six Flags X2?

Plaintiffs’ attorneys say more than 100 additional people have retained their firm after reporting traumatic brain injuries associated with X2. That figure is an attorney-reported number, not a court finding.

Are the two X2 deaths legally established as being caused by the ride?

The circumstances differ. Christopher Hawley’s medical examiner attributed his death to blunt head trauma from a park-ride accident. Hilda Farias’ death has also been discussed in later court records as occurring after an X2 ride and involving a brain bleed, but the medical evidence concerning the underlying cause was disputed. The existence of a death after riding X2 does not by itself establish Six Flags’ legal liability.

Sources and Court Records

• Six Flags Magic Mountain, “Retiring X2,” September 29, 2026 — official announcement of the permanent retirement. (Six Flags)
• Los Angeles Superior Court, In the Matter of: Pamela Guillen, Case No. 26CHCP00288 — pre-litigation evidence-preservation proceeding concerning X2. (DecisionDepot)
• U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, Katerelos et al. v. Magic Mountain, LLC et al., Case No. 2:22-cv-00757 — earlier X2 personal-injury litigation. (Justia Dockets & Filings)
• Six Flags X2 litigation records concerning the Hawley wrongful-death case and 2026 settlement. (MyNewsLA.com)
• Dordick Law Corporation, September 2026 case update containing copies of the three new complaints and identifying the additional alleged injured riders. (Dordick Law)

About the Author

Israr Ahmad is a legal content researcher covering U.S. lawsuits, court records and civil litigation. He explains legal developments in plain language using documented court records, government sources and official case materials.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Laws, filing deadlines and available remedies vary by state and by individual case.