Restaurant inside Disney Springs facing lawsuit following patron's choking death

Restaurant inside Disney Springs facing lawsuit

A Marion County man died after choking on a piece of steak at the Boathouse restaurant, according to authorities, and his family claims staff failed to respond quickly during the emergency.

ORLANDO, Fla. - A Marion County man died after choking on a piece of steak at the Boathouse restaurant, according to authorities.

In a recently filed lawsuit, his family claims staff failed to respond quickly during the emergency.

New Details:

The lawsuit states, "Family and friends attempted the Heimlich maneuver and other measures to dislodge the obstruction. The Boathouse restaurant staff did not promptly call 911; instead, staff initially contacted security, causing a delay in summoning emergency medical services."

The lawsuit alleges that the delayed response by employees contributed to the man’s death.

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX LOCAL APP

"As a result of the choking event and delay in obtaining appropriate emergency medical assistance, Decedent suffered severe hypoxia and cardiopulmonary arrest, was placed on a ventilator on June 8, 2025, and died on Monday, June 9, 2025," the lawsuit reads.

SIGN-UP FOR FOX 35'S BREAKING NEWS, DAILY NEWS NEWSLETTERS

Attorney Albert Yonfa, who is not involved with this lawsuit, said the case highlights the importance of proper emergency protocols in restaurants and that businesses should train staff to respond immediately when a diner is choking.

"Foreseeability is everything in a case like this. So knowing that, should the staff have been trained and prepared to deal with a situation where a customer was choking? I think a jury might find the answer to be yes."

The family is seeking more than $50,000 in damages.