Doctor dies of allergic reaction after asking if meal at Disney restaurant was allergen free: Lawsuit

A man has filed a lawsuit against a Disney World restaurant that claims his wife died of an allergic reaction shortly after warning the establishment about her food allergies.

The lawsuit was filed in Orange County, Florida on Thursday by Jeffrey Piccolo against Walt Disney Parks and Resorts and Raglan Road Irish Pub, a restaurant in the Disney Springs section of the resort.

The lawsuit says Piccolo had dinner with his wife, Kanokporn Tangsuan, a doctor at NYU Langone in New York, and his mother on Oct. 5. The suit alleges Tangsuan told the waiter she had severe allergies to dairy and nuts and repeatedly asked if they could make some menu items allergen-free.

“The waiter unequivocally assured them that the food would be allergen-free,” reads the lawsuit, which also noted Disney advertises its emphasis on accommodating food allergies.

Repeated reassurance that food was allergen-free

When Tangsuan orders of broccoli and corn fritter, scallops, and onion rings arrived they did not have allergen-free flags in them. According to the lawsuit, Piccolo and Tangsuan asked the waiter again if the food was allergen-free, to which the waiter confirmed.

Around 45 minutes later, Tangsuan was shopping alone at a nearby store when she had a severe allergic reaction. She administered an EpiPen to herself but began having difficulty breathing and collapsed. She was taken to the hospital where she later died.

The lawsuit said the medical examiner found that her death was “a result of anaphylaxis due to elevated levels of dairy and nut in her system."

It alleged that Disney “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.”  

Piccolo is seeking $50,000 in damages in pursuant to Florida's wrongful death act, as well as mental pain and suffering, loss of income, and medical and funeral expenses.

USA TODAY has reached out to the Walt Disney Company and Ragland Road for comment.