What Happened To Disney? Wrongful Death Lawsuit Explained

A wrongful death lawsuit was filed against Disney by a widower in February this year. This happened after the wife of the said person died after visiting a Disney World restaurant in October 2023. Consequently, many are curious to know more about Disney’s recent legal trouble.

Let’s take a look at the details and why exactly Disney is facing this lawsuit.

Why is Disney facing a wrongful death lawsuit?

Disney is facing a wrongful death lawsuit filed against them by Jeffrey Piccolo. His wife died of an allergic reaction after eating at a restaurant in Disney Springs.

In October 2023, Piccolo visited Disney Springs at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. Moreover, his wife and mother were accompanying him. The wife, Kanokporn Tangsuan, was a 42-year-old doctor from New York. She died due to an allergic reaction shortly after eating at Raglan Road, a restaurant at Disney Springs.

As per Piccolo, the restaurant did not pay heed to Tangsuan’s dairy and nut allergies. Following this, in February 2024, he filed a lawsuit against Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. According per BBC News, he sought in excess of $50,000 plus legal costs. However, Disney reportedly claims that signing up for their Disney+ streaming service means that the person cannot file a lawsuit.

Jeffrey Piccolo reportedly believes he signed up only for a free trial of Disney+ and cancelled before being charged. Meanwhile, Disney has a different take on the same. They claim that the terms agreement while signing up for their service states that users agree to settle any disputes with the company through arbitration. This means that no disputes can be taken to court.

Albeit, Disney mentioned in a statement, “We are deeply saddened by the family’s loss and understand their grief. Given that this restaurant is neither owned nor operated by Disney, we are merely defending ourselves against the plaintiff’s attorney’s attempt to include us in their lawsuit against the restaurant.” Disney says that Piccolo agreed to their terms when he used his Disney+ account to purchase tickets to the theme park.

According to Time Magazine, John Davisson, director of litigation at the Electronic Privacy Information Center, also commented on the matter. He said, “The consumer is presented with this contract and really doesn’t have an opportunity to negotiate the terms. It’s yes or no.” This case is a reminder of the importance of reading thoroughly when agreeing to the terms and conditions of a service.