Boar’s Head — the embattled deli meat giant at the center of a listeria outbreak linked to its liverwurst — was sued on Wednesday for wrongful death by the family of a man who died after allegedly eating the company’s ham. Had gone.
Retired Air Force veteran Otis Adams Jr. died in May after allegedly purchasing contaminated meat at a Tampa-area Publix grocery store. As per the complaint lodged In the 12th Judicial Circuit in Sarasota County, Florida. He was 79 years old.
pig’s head 7 million pounds of ready-to-eat meat and cheese recalled in July After dozens of people fell ill. at least 10 died,
The outbreak was blamed on liverwurst made at a cockroach-infested plant in Jarrett, Virginia. It was cited for dozens of health and safety violations last year.
Adams apparently did not eat liverwurst before his death.
According to the lawsuit, around April 12, Adams’ wife Judith purchased Boar’s Head Tavern ham and Boar’s Head yellow American cheese at Publix for her husband.
Two weeks later, she purchased more Boar’s Head Tavern ham from the same pub for her husband, the suit says.
The lawsuit says Adams ate the boar’s head ham for the next few days and then became ill, experiencing weakness, diarrhea, fatigue and fever.
The lawsuit says his illness progressed rapidly, causing his blood to become infected and giving him meningitis and sepsis. Adams died on May 5.
“We allege that his tragic, untimely death was entirely preventable,” attorneys at the Morgan & Morgan firm said in a statement.
“Mrs. Adams Jarratt is fighting to hold Boar’s Head responsible for the allegedly unsafe conditions at the VA facility that allegedly led to her husband’s death, and to ensure that no one else is held responsible for that Don’t have to go through the pain and loss that he has experienced.
She is seeking “just and appropriate” damages and relief as the court deems appropriate.
Boar’s Head did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Florida-based company announced in September It will stop making and selling liverwurstand closed the Virginia factory.
“Our investigation identified the root cause of the contamination as a specific production process that existed only at the Jarratt (Virginia) facility and was used only for liverwursts,” the company said in a statement.
The United States Department of Agriculture is conducting an internal investigation into Boar’s Head’s management.
In addition to his wife, Adams is survived by his sister, three sons, seven grandchildren and a great-granddaughter.
