A Calgary woman has launched a $2.4-million lawsuit over a bowl of wonton soup, which she alleges gave her food poisoning and put her into a coma.
Nicole Laurin says she became extremely ill after eating a bowl of wonton soup from Saigon Bistro in Calgary, on Oct. 29, 2014. She slipped into a coma two days later and was admitted to hospital, where she woke up after approximately a week, according to her statement of claim.
She told CTV Calgary that doctors found E.coli in her system, and she was put on dialysis because her kidneys had failed. She was discharged after six months but continues to have health problems nearly two years from the original date of the incident, she says.
Laurin is now seeking $2.4 million in lost income and damages from Saigon Bistro Ltd., as well as its meat supplier, Wah Hing Meat Shop, and the unnamed manufacturer that produced the meat.
Her claim alleges the restaurant failed to cook the soup to a suitable temperature and that it should have ensured the meat in the soup was safe for consumption. She also accuses the butcher shop of distributing meat that it should have known was tainted.
"I just don't want this to happen to anybody else," Laurin told CTV Calgary on Saturday.
Laurin says she had to quit her job as a realtor because of the incident, from which she is still recovering. She still experiences chronic pain, nausea, headaches and fatigue, although her health is slowly improving. She was initially using a wheelchair when she left the hospital, but now she uses a walker to get around.
"It's been a traumatic experience for both of us," Laurin's husband, Dwayne MacPherson, told CTV Calgary. He said he's spent the last two years watching his wife "go through agonizing pain" because of the food poisoning incident.
Saigon Bistro and Wah Hing Meat Shop have not responded to interview requests from CTV Calgary.
The allegations have not been proven in court and statements of defence have not yet been filed.
With files from CTV Calgary
