iStockphoto
A woman has filed a lawsuit against a Thai food restaurant, claiming that one of its dishes caused her to suffer “permanent bodily injuries.”
Harjasleen Walia claims that the the Dragon Balls appetizer served at Coup de Thai in Los Gatos, Calif. caused her health issues for two years following her consuming it.
“She incurred permanent injuries and will forever be damaged,” the lawsuit claims, according to the San Jose Mercury News.
Walia, a neurologist in San Jose, says she “felt her entire mouth, the roof of her mouth, her tongue, her throat and her nose burn like fire” and suffered chemical burns to her vocal cords, esophagus and the inside of her right nostril.
The lawsuit claims the restaurant served “her foods unfit for human consumption.”
Walia admits in the suit that she was aware that the dish was spicy, but ordered it anyway even though she “does not tolerate spice.”
Coup de Thai’s menu has the an image of a red pepper, signifying its hotness, and states that the dish includes “spicy chicken” balls, mint, shallot, green onion, cilantro, kaffir lime leaf and chili as the ingredients on their menu.
Walkia claims she asked the server to make a milder version of the dish for her.
“The dish was advertised as spicy, so Ms. Walia asked her server to have it made with less spice as she does not tolerate spicy foods,” the lawsuit reads. “The server said that they would have the chef make them less spicy.”
Coup de Thai supervisor Luck Pryer says it is not possible for the appetizer to be made “less spicy” as the chili is located inside the chicken meatballs.
The lawsuit also claims the defendants “negligently failed to test the heat intensity” of the dish and “failed to take precautions by consulting with health officials or emergency service personnel regarding the risks associated with serving too much Thai chili in an appetizer like Dragon Balls.”
She is suing the restaurant, its owner, the chef, the waitress who took her order, and anyone else, including bartenders and shoppers, who “in any way influenced, designed, prepared, or participated in creating the Dragon Ball dish.”