The lawsuit was for “shellfish” reasons.
Singapore Airlines is being sued by a New York doctor, who claims she suffered a “violent” allergic reaction to shrimp she was served on a flight from Germany to her hometown — despite warning staffers that she had a shellfish allergy.
The severity of her condition reportedly prompted the pilot to make an emergency landing in Paris, France, the Independent reported.
In the complaint filed Tuesday in the US District Court for the Eastern District of New York, Dr. Doreen Benary, 41, alleged that the airline’s negligence had caused her to have an “adverse reaction to shrimp” during Singapore Airlines flight SQ026 from Frankfurt to New York on October 8, the South China Morning Post reported.
The physician, who was sitting in business class, had reportedly warned crew members that she “suffered from a food allergy, specifically to shrimp” upon boarding the aircraft. Shellfish allergies are among the most severe with the potential to induce anaphylactic shock, a life-threatening reaction that shuts down the body’s airways.
Despite her disclaimer, a member of the cabin crew served Benary a meal containing the allergen. Benary was “unaware that the meal she had been served… contained shrimp until she had ingested a portion,” whereupon the flyer “detected the presence of shrimp” and began to feel sick.
When she asked the crew if the meal contained shrimp, a flight attendant “admitted that she had made an error and apologized.”
Unfortunately, Benary’s condition deteriorated to the point that she fell “violently ill, requiring the aircraft to perform an emergency diversion to Paris, France,” per the complaint.
Afterward, the passenger had to endure “painful” emergency medical treatments at two separate medical facilities.
The complaint contended that it’s the responsibility of the cabin crew “to be aware of the seriousness of[,] and respond appropriately[,] when advised of a passenger’s food allergy.”
“When a cabin crew member was placed on notice of a passenger’s food allergy, said crew member had a duty of care to ensure that meals containing such allergens or their ingredients were not served to that particular passenger,” it read.
Due to this oversight, Benary claimed she suffered “great pain, agony and mental anguish,” as well as subsequent economic and non-economic losses.
She is now seeking “full, fair and reasonable” compensation of which the amount will be decided at the trial
A Singapore Airlines rep told the Independent that they are “unable to comment on matters before the court.”
