A new lawsuit claims a woman had a disturbing experience at a New York state restaurant that sounds like something straight out of a horror movie. Allison Cozzi alleges she was having lunch at Chopt Creative Salad Co. when she realized there was more than just chopped iceberg and onions in her salad. She allegedly found a finger.
Now, the woman wants Chopt to pay for the physical and emotional pain she has suffered for months because of the extra ingredient in her salad.
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Cozzi visited the restaurant in April.
Cozzi visited the Chopt location in Mount Kisco on April 7, 2023, according to a copy of the lawsuit obtained by People. While she was eating her salad, she allegedly noticed something strange while she was chewing.
"While she was eating the salad, she realized that she was chewing on a portion of a human finger that had been mixed into, and made a part of, the salad," the lawsuit claims.
The finger reportedly belonged to a restaurant manager.
The suit further claims that a female manager, whose name was not released, cut herself while chopping arugula and then left for the hospital. Somehow, after she left, a piece of her severed finger allegedly made its way into Cozzi's salad.
The incident got the attention of the health department.
Westchester County Health Department records show that Chopt received a $900 fine after the incident, News 12 Westchester reported. That was seemingly not enough for Cozzi, however, who is seeking unspecified monetary damages in her lawsuit.
Cozzi allegedly got pretty sick.
The incident reportedly caused numerous health problems for the disgusted patron, including shock, panic attacks, migraines, cognitive impairment, nausea, dizziness, and neck and shoulder pain.
Cozzi's attorney, Marc Reibman, told People his client would not be commenting on the litigation.
"She does not want to increase the stress and anxiety that this incident has caused her. As required by New York Law, her Complaint does not contain the dollar amount of the monetary damages that she is seeking. As a matter of common sense and public interest, the failure to supervise the preparation and service of food in a manner that protects the public is a blatant deviation from accepted safe practice and deserves significant compensation," he said.
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The situation disgusted a lot of people.
Talk of the finger made a buzz on social media.
"Oh yummy! Allison Cozzi, Greenwich, Connecticut woman sues Chopt eatery after finding finger in salad and suffering shock and panic attack and migraine," Christopher Koulouris posted on Facebook.
"I have no doubt that I would have been feeling somewhat nauseous after discovering what it was that I had chewed on. But the list of symptoms that this woman lists beggars belief to say the very least," a follower commented. "What about the poor manager who now has to live the rest of her life without the tip of her finger. Perhaps she should be suing Miss Cozzi. Had she ordered burger and fries the manager wouldn't have been chopping lettuce and would still have the tip of her finger!"
Chopt has not released a statement about the incident.
