NJ Woman Sues Jet Blue Over Ice Cream That Allegedly Fractured Tooth

A New Jersey resident, Karla Quinonez, has filed a lawsuit against Jet Blue Airways, claiming an “extremely cold” ice cream sandwich served on a flight caused her to fracture a front tooth. According to a report from The New York Post, Quinonez, a resident of Perth Amboy, alleges that the frozen dessert posed a safety risk, which the airline staff failed to communicate when serving it. The incident allegedly occurred during her international flight from New York City to Paris on August 20.

The Lawsuit’s Claims of Negligence

The legal action, filed in the New York Eastern District Court on Tuesday, accuses Jet Blue of negligence in handling and serving the dessert, which reportedly led Quinonez to suffer a “severe bodily injury.” According to the suit, Jet Blue’s crew “failed to warn” her of the strawberry shortcake-flavored treat’s condition, described as “frozen solid.” The incident ultimately resulted in a root fracture of her upper left incisor, referred to in the suit as “tooth number 10.”

“The ice cream sandwich that [Jet Blue] served … was frozen solid and caused [her] to sustain severe bodily injuries, including a root fracture of tooth number 10,” states the lawsuit, as reported by The New York Post.

Dental Emergency and Consequent Distress

After biting into the icy dessert, Quinonez immediately felt the consequences of the injury. Upon her arrival in Paris, she had to undergo an emergency dental extraction to address the fractured incisor, the suit explains. This sudden and costly intervention, coupled with the physical and emotional toll, led her to file a lawsuit for damages covering pain, suffering, and “mental anguish.” The suit does not specify the exact amount Quinonez is seeking in compensation.

The ordeal reportedly left Quinonez with lasting effects from the injury, while her legal team contends the dessert should have been served at a “reasonable or safe temperature” for consumption.

The Ice Cream in Question: A Product by Nightingale Ice Cream

The ice cream sandwich that allegedly caused Quinonez’s injury was manufactured by Nightingale Ice Cream, a company known for their “chomp-sized” frozen treats. Online reviews generally praise Nightingale’s offerings as “absolutely delicious,” with some consumers noting that the ice cream “never [gets] so hard that they’re tough to bite through.” This case, however, suggests a different outcome for Quinonez, who contends that the temperature of the treat was not only extreme but posed an actual risk to her health.

Jet Blue’s History with Temperature-Related Lawsuits

This is not the first time Jet Blue has faced legal issues related to food or beverage temperature. In June, the airline was involved in another lawsuit regarding a passenger who was allegedly injured by “dangerously hot” tea during turbulence. The passenger in that case sought $1.5 million in damages. This latest legal action by Quinonez, however, addresses an alleged incident on the opposite end of the temperature spectrum, bringing attention to the potential hazards of in-flight food service temperatures.

Awaiting Response from Jet Blue and Legal Counsel

According to The New York Post, both Jet Blue and Quinonez’s attorney, Christopher Fraser, did not immediately respond to inquiries for comments on the case. The airline has not issued a public statement regarding the specific policies or practices for the storage and serving temperatures of their in-flight food offerings.

As this case proceeds, it will shed light on the liability and standards of food safety that airlines are held to, particularly as they relate to pre-packaged food items that are potentially susceptible to extreme temperatures. This lawsuit may prompt broader discussions regarding consumer expectations of safety and transparency in airline food service practices.