A doctor died after eating at a Disney World restaurant despite checking for allergens with waiters, lawsuit says

• A doctor died from an allergic reaction after eating at a Disney World restaurant, a lawsuit says.
• She had a severe allergy to nuts and dairy. The lawsuit says she repeatedly told the waiter this.
• The husband of the deceased is seeking damages in excess of $50,000.

A New York doctor with a severe dairy and nut allergy died from anaphylaxis after eating at a restaurant at Walt Disney World in Orlando, according to a lawsuit.

Filed in a Florida circuit court last Thursday on behalf of Kanokporn Tangsuan's husband, Jeffrey J. Piccolo, the 19-page complaint alleges negligence by Walt Disney Parks and Resorts and Raglan Road Irish Pub and Restaurant.

The complaint says that Tangsuan, a family doctor in New York, died on October 5 after eating at the restaurant in Disney Springs — a shopping and dining complex at the Walt Disney World Resort.

According to the suit, Tangsuan, Piccolo, and Piccolo's mother dined at the restaurant because they believed it would have "proper safeguards" to protect Tangsuan from allergens.

The complaint says that Tangsuan and Piccolo repeatedly informed the wait staff about her severe allergies to nuts and dairy, and asked explicitly whether certain items on the menu could be made without those ingredients.

The lawsuit alleges that the waiter guaranteed Tangsuan and Piccolo that the restaurant would be safe to eat at.

Tangsuan ordered a vegetable fritter, battered scallops, a vegan shepherd's pie, and onion rings, according to the lawsuit.

When the food arrived without allergen-free flags, the couple once again sought reassurance from the waiter, who confirmed that the food was free from nuts and dairy, the complaint says.

Following the meal, the couple went shopping, splitting up to look in different stores, according to the lawsuit, which was when Tangsuan started to have a severe allergic reaction, struggling to breathe and collapsing to the floor.

The complaint says Tangsuan self-administered an Epi-pen while someone else called 911.

When Piccolo tried to reach his wife, someone else picked up her phone, telling him to go to the hospital immediately, according to the lawsuit.

He was later informed that his wife had died, the complaint says. An online obituary says she was 42 at the time of her death.

Piccolo is seeking damages in excess of $50,000 under the Florida Wrongful Death Act, as well as damages for loss of companionship, mental pain and suffering, loss of income, and medical and funeral expenses.

According to the results of an autopsy included in the complaint, Tangsuan's cause of death was the result of anaphylaxis due to the elevated levels of dairy and nuts in her system.

The lawsuit alleges negligence by the restaurant and Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, which controls the restaurants in Disney Springs.

It also says that the restaurant failed to train staff adequately, warn Tangsuan about allergens in her food, and prepare allergen-free food despite repeated requests.

Walt Disney Parks and Resorts did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.