Long Island man suing Disney World Resort restaurant wants recipes for meal wife ate before she died
The widower of a Long Island physician who died after suffering an allergic reaction at a Walt Disney World Resort restaurant says he wants the recipes and ingredients for the meal his wife ate before she died.
Jeffrey Piccolo filed a motion earlier this week as part of his wrongful death lawsuit against Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, and Raglan Road Irish Pub and Restaurant.
Doctor dies from allergic reaction after eating at Disney Springs restaurant
Piccolo's wife, Dr. Kanokporn Tangsuan, died from an allergic reaction in October 2023 after eating at the Ragland Road restaurant in Disney Springs.
According to the lawsuit filed by Piccolo, Tangsuan told the waiter she was highly allergic to dairy and nuts, and the waiter guaranteed several times that certain foods could be made allergen-free.
The lawsuit says after eating at the restaurant, Tangsuan began to have difficulty breathing while she was shopping. She then collapsed and used an EpiPen on herself while 911 was called.
Tangsuan later died, and the cause of death was determined to be anaphylaxis. According to the lawsuit, elevated levels of dairy and nuts were found in her system.
Piccolo is seeking over $50,000 in damages.
Disney initially tried to get the lawsuit dismissed, saying Piccolo had agreed to an arbitration clause prior to Tangsuan's death when he signed up for its streaming service Disney+ and when he bought tickets to a Disney World park.
But just days later, Disney reversed course and said it would not seek arbitration.
"At Disney, we strive to put humanity above all other considerations. With such unique circumstances as the ones in this case, we believe this situation warrants a sensitive approach to expedite a resolution for the family who have experienced such a painful loss. As such, we've decided to waive our right to arbitration and have the matter proceed in court," Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D'Amaro said at the time.
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