Doctor Dies at Disney Restaurant From Allergic Reaction Despite Telling Servers About Severe Allergies
Late last year, NYU doctor Kanokporn Tangsuan died of a severe allergic reaction after dining at Disney Springs' Raglan Road Irish Pub. Now, her husband is suing.
According to the official complaint, which was filed earlier this week, Tangsuan repeatedly warned staffers of her severe allergies to nuts and dairy. In fact, she explicitly asked about specific menu items and whether they could be made without the harmful ingredients. NBC News reports that servers assured her she was safe to consume the vegetable fritter, battered scallops, vegan shepherd's pie, and onion rings that the couple ordered.
Tangsuan and her husband, Jeffrey J. Piccolo, reportedly inquired "several more times" about the allergens and were told they were "unequivocally safe." Sadly, that was not the case. Tangsuan died that night due to anaphylaxis.
After leaving the restaurant around 8 p.m., Tangsuan's husband went back to the hotel while she stayed behind to go shopping. She began experiencing difficulty breathing around 8:45 p.m. and went to a nearby restaurant where she collapsed. She was "suffering from a severe acute allergic reaction to the food served at Raglan," the lawsuit reports. She administered her EpiPen and was rushed to the hospital, where she later passed away.
Piccolo was alerted to the medical emergency when he tried ringing Tangsuan's cell phone and a bystander answered. He rushed to the hospital, but she had already died.
Despite repeated assurances that the food was free of allergens, the autopsy report found both dairy and nuts in her system.
The lawsuit names both the restaurant and Disney Parks and Resorts as defendants, and alleges negligence. Piccolo is seeking $50,000 in damages.
An investigator for the plaintiff's attorneys, Nicholas F. DeBellis, told NBC that the defendants have not yet been served the lawsuit and have not formally responded. However, their lawyers have communicated.
A spokesperson for NYU Langone Health, where Tangsuan served as a physician, released a statement on Monday via email regarding her death.
"We are saddened by Dr. Tangsuan's passing and our deepest condolences are with her family," a spokesperson wrote.
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