Four South Florida tourists have filed a lawsuit after they became “extremely sick” after being served food that was contaminated with “dozens” of live insects at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort according to a report from the Orlando Sentinel.
What’s Happening:
- The Walker family from Broward County, FL is suing Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, as well as Disney’s Polynesian Villas and Bungalows Condominium Association for damages in excess of $15,000.
- The lawsuit states: “After consuming multiple lettuce wraps [Brittany Walker Figueroa] felt something crawling inside of her mouth and removed what appeared to be a small green object that had legs and was moving.”
- The litigation was filed in Orange Circuit Court and alleges that in December the defendants served food to the plaintiffs who “required multiple visits via ambulance” to the emergency room.
- “The Plaintiff’s injury of food poisoning and subsequent illnesses diagnosed by the Plaintiff’s treating physicians, is a type of injury that ordinarily does not occur unless someone was negligent,” the lawsuit states.
- The incident happened at a buffet in the Club Level Lounge at the resort that included a build-your-own lettuce wrap station and that the food from it was covered with dozens of live insects, according to the lawsuit.
- Alexander Avarello of McFarlane Dolan & Prince, one of the attorneys who filed the suit, declined comment.
What They’re Saying:
- A Disney Spokesperson, responding to the lawsuit: “Enjoying high-quality meals in clean and safe restaurants is an important part of a Walt Disney World vacation. We do not believe the claimed illnesses were a result of the guest’s dining experiences, and we will defend these allegations in court.”