The husband of a New York doctor who died shortly after dining at a Disney Springs restaurant last year accused Walt Disney Parks and Resorts of negligence in a 19-page lawsuit filed in Florida.
Jeffrey Piccolo is seeking in excess of $50,000 US in the wrongful death of Kanokporn Tangsuan, a doctor at New York University Langone hospital in Manhattan, in the lawsuit filed Feb. 22 in Orange County, Fla.
The lawsuit states that Tangsuan had dinner at Raglan Road Irish Pub on Oct. 5, 2023, with her husband and his mother. Tangsuan had a severe allergy to nuts and dairy products and informed the waiter that she required “allergen-free food.”
The couple questioned the waiter about various items on the menu, according to the lawsuit. The waiter then asked the chef “whether certain foods could be made allergen-free,” before returning to the table and confirming they could.
The couple asked the waiter several more times to be absolutely sure the food would be allergen-free, before Tangsuan ordered a fritter, scallops and onion rings, the lawsuit said.
When the food arrived, some items did not contain “allergen-free flags,” prompting the doctor and her husband to ask the waiter if the items were indeed nut- and dairy-free. The waiter “guaranteed” the food was allergen-free, the lawsuit said.
Around 8 p.m., after finishing dinner, the doctor and her mother-in-law went shopping separately at Disney Springs, while Piccolo returned to their room with the leftover food, the lawsuit said.
About 45 minutes later, Tangsuan was having difficulty breathing when she entered Planet Hollywood and collapsed to the floor. The lawsuit said she had self-administered an epi-pen while suffering from the allergic reaction.
Her mother-in-law began calling to meet back up with her, but the calls went unanswered, according to the lawsuit. The mother-in-law returned to the hotel, and she called Tangsuan’s phone again. This time someone answered and said Tangsuan had been taken to a hospital.
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The doctor died at the hospital, the lawsuit said. She was 42, according to her obituary.
A medical examiner’s investigation determined she died as a result of “anaphylaxis due to elevated levels of dairy and nut in her system,” the lawsuit said.
The lawsuit alleges Raglan Road failed to educate, train and/or instruct its employees to make sure food was allergen-free.
Walt Disney World and Great Irish Pubs Florida did not immediately respond to emails seeking comment on the lawsuit.
The New York Post reported that a manager at Raglan Road Irish Pub and Restaurant said that staffers were trained to take food allergies very seriously even before Tangsuan’s death, “but are now asking diners whether they have any restrictions when taking orders.”
In a statement to CBC News, the non-profit organization Food Allergy Canada said Tangsuan’s death reinforces the seriousness of food allergy as a medical condition.
“Having access to accurate ingredient information, knowledgeable staff, clear communication and effective allergen management processes in food service settings is essential to ensure consumers with food allergy can access safe food options.”
Disney often billed as safe
Disney is often recognized as one of the most allergy-safe places to visit.
In 2015, Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resorts introduced allergy-friendly menus. In 2017, Disney was recognized by Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) as an industry leader “in providing safe, quality dining experiences to guests with allergies and special diets,” the park notes on its website blog.
“At Walt Disney World Resort, we take great pride in providing choice and variety for Guests with special dietary requests,” Disney World’s website says.
Kanokporn Tangsuan, a doctor at NYU Langone, lost her life due to an allergic reaction at Disney Springs, despite diligent inquiries about allergens. No one should lose their life due to an allergic reaction. Let’s come together to spread awareness. <a href=”https://t.co/2vBAzHiOsz”>https://t.co/2vBAzHiOsz</a>
—@FoodAllergy
But restaurants at Disney Springs — an outdoor shopping, dining and entertainment complex at the resort — aren’t necessarily Disney-owned. Raglan Road is owned and operated by Great Irish Pubs Florida, Inc.
In small print at bottom of its menu listed on the Disney World website, the restaurant notes, “While we take steps to help mitigate cross-contact, we cannot guarantee that any item is completely free of allergens.”
She ‘did everything right’
On Tuesday, FARE wrote wrote about the death on X, posting that “no one should lose their life due to an allergic reaction.” In an Instagram post, FARE noted that Tangsuan made “diligent inquiries about allergens at Raglan Road Irish Pub,” and advocated for better training for restaurant staff.
“At this point, we usually discuss how the tragedy might have been avoided but by all accounts, Dr. Tangsuan did everything right,” Dave Bloom, the CEO of allergy-focused media company Snack Safely, wrote on its website.
“She dined at a restaurant that purported to accommodate food allergies safely, made sure to discuss her allergies with her server, and checked again when the food was served. When she experienced the signs of anaphylaxis, she administered her epinephrine auto-injector while a bystander called emergency services.”
Bloom expressed his condolences to Piccolo.