A Valencia College student is taking a Pine Hills restaurant to court after she says part of its drop ceiling crashed onto her mid-lunch, leaving her with serious brain and neck injuries while she sat with her young daughter. The lawsuit targets Flyers Wings & Grill on West Colonial Drive and accuses the restaurant of brushing off repeated warnings about the condition of its ceiling. The civil case, filed more than six months after the October incident, is now moving through Orange County court.
According to the Orlando Sentinel, 25-year-old Dajah Stover filed her complaint on Wednesday, saying a ceiling tile and attached air-conditioning vent fell and struck her while she was at Flyers for a lunch special on Oct. 6. Her attorneys told the paper that an ambulance took her from the scene and that the head and neck trauma has disrupted her day-to-day life long after that meal ended.
Local TV footage from the October collapse showed Stover being treated at the restaurant and included her father describing the staples in her head and the emotional impact on Stover’s young child. ClickOrlando reported at the time that restaurant management said a county building inspector had cleared Flyers to stay open while repairs were underway.
Inspection History And Prior Reports
Stover’s complaint, as outlined by the Orlando Sentinel, points to a trail of state inspection notes about the ceiling long before tiles allegedly came down on customers. Inspectors cited soiled ceiling tiles at Flyers in October 2023, September 2024, and October 2025, and documented damaged or missing tiles in May 2025. The suit also says another woman was hurt in a separate ceiling incident in August 2024, a claim Stover’s filing notes was resolved in a settlement before any lawsuit was filed.
Legal Exposure And Insurance Concerns
Premises-liability attorneys say cases like Stover’s generally chase down medical bills, lost wages, and money for pain and suffering, which can stack up quickly for a small business. An analysis from insurance firm Burns & Wilcox notes that ceiling collapse claims frequently raise questions under both commercial general liability coverage and any excess liability policy, potentially creating significant financial exposure for a restaurant owner.
What To Watch Next
The case is now pending in Orange County civil court, and no hearing date was listed in public records at the time of publication. State licensing files identify Flyers Wings & Grill as a permanent food-service business in Orange County, and management previously told local television that a county building inspector had allowed the restaurant to remain open while ceiling repairs were completed. Public records and earlier coverage are available through the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation and ClickOrlando.
