Feel the burn! Doctor’s lawsuit over spicy Thai food heads to jury trial — as new details emerge

She’s turning up the heat.

A California doctor who alleged a Thai food dish was so spicy she suffered “chemical burns” on her throat is taking the case to a jury trial — as new details emerged that could land a restaurant employee in hot water.

A jury will determine whether a mega-spicy appetizer known as “Dragon Balls” served at Coup de Thai in Los Gatos caused neurologist Harjasleen Walia  “permanent bodily injuries,” siliconvalley.com reported Wednesday.

In a lawsuit filed last year, Walia claimed the chicken-based dish scalded her vocal cords and esophagus with fiery flavors “unfit for human consumption” — before pinning the blame on a worker who allegedly accidentally added too many peppers to the balls of meat, according to court papers.

“A new employee who prepared the dish made an error and added additional peppers, rather than reducing them as requested,” Walia, of San Jose, claimed in a November court filing.

A judge this week set a jury trial for August 25 that’s expected to last roughly a week, the outlet reported.   

After biting into the eye-watering $11 app —  which features spicy chicken meatballs made with green onion, cilantro and chilis —  Walia felt her “mouth, her tongue, her throat and her nose burn like fire,” according to the scathing suit.

She scrambled to ease the painful sensation with a milk-based drink to no avail, notes the lawsuit, which was filed in the Superior Court of Santa Clara County in July 2023.

Restaurant staffers should have been trained to serve Thai iced tea or “some other dairy-based product” to customers with bad reactions to “spice intensity” — but there were none of the beverages on hand, according to the suit.

Instead, Walia was forced to chug “an entire glass of coconut water and more water, but the burning did not subside,” the lawsuit states.

Walia knew the dish  — made with Thai “bird’s eye” chili peppers — was spicy but asked the server to have a more mild version prepared for her on July 15, 2021, according to the lawsuit.

A manager at the restaurant later told siliconvalley.com the appetizer can’t be made “mild” because the chilis are cooked inside the meatballs.

The peppers can range from 50,000 to 250,000 heat units —  hotter than cayenne peppers but not as fiery as habaneros.

Walia’s lawsuit also targets over two dozen individuals, including her server, chefs and other employees who may have “influenced, designed, prepared, or participated in creating” the dish.

“Harjasleen Walia was poisoned, made ill and burned necessitating medical care,” the lawsuit states.

“She incurred permanent injuries and will forever be damaged to her body. These consequences are the direct result of defendants serving to her foods unfit for human consumption.”

Walia is now seeking compensation for  medical expenses along with lost income and damages totally more than $35,000, according to court papers.

Coup de Thai appears to cater to foodies who love spice, billing its itself as a “true revolution of your senses.”

A rep for the restaurant didn’t immediately return a request for comment from The Post Wednesday.