Doctor dies after eating dinner at Disney Springs' Raglan Road Irish Pub and Restaurant, lawsuit alleges
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - A medical doctor died shortly after she was served a meal at a restaurant at Disney Springs that was not allergen-free, according to a lawsuit filed last week in Orange County.
The incident reportedly happened after having dinner at the Raglan Road Irish Pub and Restaurant.
Jeffrey Piccolo filed the 19-page lawsuit against Walt Disney Parks and Resorts and the restaurant after his wife, Kanokporn Tangsuan, a doctor at NYU Langone in New York, suddenly died.
On the evening of October 5, 2023, Piccolo, his mother, Jackie, and Tangsuan stopped at the restaurant to enjoy a meal.
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Tangsuan, who was highly allergic to dairy and nuts, asked the wait staff multiple times if they could make allergen-free food, which they confirmed they could, the suit stated.
The suit claimed that Disney advertises and represents to the public that food allergies and/or the accommodation of persons with food allergies are a "top priority" at its parks and resorts.
A broccoli and corn fritter, scallops, and onion rings were among the items Tangsuan ordered.
After dinner, the group split up to shop at different stores in the shopping and entertainment complex.
About 45 minutes later, Tangsuan entered Planet Hollywood, where she began having severe difficulty breathing and collapsed.
Though an epi-pen was immediately administered to her, she ultimately died at a local hospital.
The medical examiner's investigation revealed she died as a result of anaphylaxis due to "elevated levels of dairy and nut in her system," the lawsuit alleges.
Piccolo is seeking damages in excess of $50,000 in pursuant to Florida's wrongful death act, in addition to mental pain and suffering, loss of income and funeral expenses.
The suit alleges the restaurant failed to educate, train and/or instruct its employees to make sure food, indicated as allergen free or requested to be made allergen free, was in fact free of allergens.
It also stated Disney had control over the menu of food offered, the hiring and/or training of the wait staff, and the policies and procedures as it pertains to food allergies at Disney Springs restaurants.
FOX 35 has reached out to The Walt Disney Company and Walt Disney World and the Raglan Road Irish Pub and Restaurant for comment on the lawsuit.