After dining at a restaurant in Disney Springs at Walt Disney World, a doctor had a severe allergic reaction and passed away later that evening. The family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Disney Springs and the restaurant.
According to the story on WESH 2, Kanokporn Tangsuan and her family had dinner at Raglan Road Irish Pub on October 5, 2023. The lawsuit states that Tangsuan and her husband spoke with the waiter about her severe allergy to dairy and nuts as they discussed various items on the menu. The waiter reportedly went and spoke to the chef and confirmed that the four menu items Tangsuan ordered could be made allergen-free.
The lawsuit states that when the dishes were served at the table, there were no allergen-free flags on some of the plates, but the waiter allegedly guaranteed that the food was safe and free of allergens.
After dinner, Tangsuan reportedly went shopping with her mother-in-law, but her husband went back to their hotel room. Tangsuan and her mother-in-law had separated into different stores when the severe allergic reaction ensued, causing difficulty breathing and her collapse to the floor, according to the lawsuit. A 911 caller advised the dispatcher of the allergic reaction and said that Tangsuan self-administered an Epi-pen. Meanwhile, Tangsuan’s mother-in-law was unable to reach her and went back to the room, not knowing what was going on. Once someone answered Tangsuan’s phone, they were advised to get to the hospital immediately.
The lawsuit states the two were at the hospital for a “short time” before being informed that Tangsuan died. The medical examiner’s investigation reports that the cause of death was “the result of anaphylaxis due to elevated levels of dairy and nuts in her system.”
The following disclosure is available on the official Walt Disney World website:
We use reasonable efforts in our food preparation and handling procedures to avoid the introduction of the most common allergens into your menu choices. While we take steps to prevent cross-contact, we do not have separate allergy-friendly kitchens and are unable to guarantee that a menu item is completely free of allergens.
Additionally, allergy-friendly offerings are reliant on supplier ingredient labels, and we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the contents of each food item. Allergen advisory statements (e.g., ‘may contain’) are not regulated and therefore not taken into consideration when developing allergy-friendly meals. It is ultimately up to your discretion to make an informed choice based upon your individual dietary needs.
Walt Disney World website
