BBC News quotes Jamie Cartwright on a wrongful death lawsuit relating to a severe allergic reaction at Disney World
A man, Jeffrey Piccolo, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Disney after his wife died in 2023 from a severe allergic reaction after eating at a restaurant at the theme park.
He alleges that the restaurant at Disney World that he and his wife dined at - in Orlando, Florida - did not take enough care over her severe allergies to dairy and nuts, despite being repeatedly told about them. Mr Piccolo is suing Disney for a sum in excess of $50,000 plus legal costs.
Disney is now arguing that its terms of use, which Mr Piccolo agreed to when creating an account for Disney Plus in 2019, means they have to settle out of court. The company wants the case in the courts to be halted, and for the dispute to be resolved out of court by way of an arbitration.
Reacting to the development, Jamie Cartwright, Partner in our Dispute Resolution team, comments for BBC News. He explains:
Disney understandably may want to benefit from the privacy and confidentiality that arbitration brings, rather than having a wrongful death suit heard in public with the associated publicity.
Read the full article on BBC News here.
