Lawsuit alleges New York doctor died of allergic reaction after eating at Disney World restaurant

The husband of a New York doctor has filed a lawsuit alleging she died of an allergic reaction at Disney World and accused the Florida resort and a restaurant where she dined of negligence.

The complaint alleged that on Oct. 5, Raglan Road Irish Pub and Restaurant served Dr. Kanokporn Tangsuan food containing allergens despite multiple assurances it would be allergy-safe.

Tangsuan, 42, died that night of a severe allergic reaction known as anaphylaxis, according to a medical examiner’s autopsy report cited in the complaint, which was filed in a Florida circuit court Thursday on behalf of her husband, Jeffrey J. Piccolo.

Disney Parks and Resorts did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday.

Tangsuan, Piccolo and his mother went to the restaurant at Disney Springs, a Disney World shopping and dining complex, on Oct. 5 for dinner, the complaint said.

They chose to eat there believing the restaurant could accommodate her allergies, it stated. The lawsuit said Disney and Raglan Road have said accommodating those with allergies is a top priority, and that customers can consult with staff over specific ingredients.

The couple told their server Tangsuan had severe allergies and couldn’t consume food with allergens. When they asked if specific items were allergen-free, the waiter responded that they would be made so if ordered, the complaint said.

The party ordered dishes named “Sure I’m Frittered,” “Scallop Forest,” “This Shepherd Went Vegan,” and “Onion Rings,” it said. They inquired about allergens “several more times” and were told “unequivocally” their food would be allergen free, the complaint said.

When some of the dishes arrived without “allergen free flags,” the couple inquired again, and the answer from their server was the same, it said.

Following the roughly 8 p.m. meal, the party split up. Piccolo went back to the couple’s nearby hotel room and Tangsuan stayed at Disney Springs to go shopping, the document stated.

About 8:45 p.m. she began having difficulty breathing, went into a nearby restaurant and collapsed “while suffering from a severe acute allergic reaction to the food served at Raglan,” the complaint said.

She used her EpiPen in an attempt to stop her body’s severe allergic response. A bystander dialed 911, and paramedics rushed Tangsuan to a hospital, the document stated.

Piccolo, unaware of the incident, dialed her cellphone but a bystander answered and informed him of what happened. He went to the hospital, where staff told him Tangsuan had died, the complaint said.

An autopsy found she had elevated levels of dairy and nut in her system, according to the complaint. The autopsy report stated her manner of death was an accident. It also noted that the tests were conducted after her death and that their validity and significance “have not been established.”

The complaint names the restaurant and Disney Parks and Resorts as defendants, and alleges multiple counts of negligence. It seeks damages in excess of $50,000.

Nicholas F. DeBellis, an investigator for the plaintiff’s attorneys, said by email that although the defendants had not been served with the suit and have not formally responded, their lawyers have been in touch.

Tangsuan was a physician with NYU Langone Health, spokesperson Steve Ritea said Monday by email.

“We are saddened by Dr. Tangsuan’s passing and our deepest condolences are with her family,” he said.

Tangsuan was survived by Piccolo. The couple hoped to have children, investigator DeBellis said.