Disney has dropped its bid to move a lawsuit to arbitration and will now let a court handle it. The lawsuit was filed by Jeffrey Piccolo, whose wife died in 2023 from an allergic reaction after eating at a Disney World restaurant. Disney had initially argued that the case should go to arbitration because Piccolo had signed up for a Disney+ free trial in 2019, which included a clause that could force disputes into arbitration instead of court.
After facing backlash, Disney decided to let the case proceed in court.
Disney’s Josh D’Amaro stated, “We believe this situation warrants a sensitive approach to expedite a resolution for the family who have experienced such a painful loss,” according to BBC.
He added that Disney will now waive its right to arbitration.
Piccolo’s lawyers criticized Disney’s initial attempt to avoid a court trial, suggesting that Disney’s strategy was to avoid public scrutiny. They also hope that the case will bring more attention to the issue of food allergies.
Legal experts noted that Disney’s argument to avoid court was unusual and could have set a concerning precedent. Jibreel Tramboo, a barrister, described Disney’s claim about the Disney+ terms as a “weak argument.”
Disney is now working on officially withdrawing its request for arbitration, according to BBC.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cr7r9djxj0do