Boar’s Head Listeria Lawsuit

Food poisoning lawsuits are being filed after 9 people died of Listeria infections from eating Boar’s Head Deli Meat and Liverwurst in multiple states nationwide.

What You Can Do & How We Can Help

The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting Listeria Food Poisoning induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know was diagnosed with Listeria after eating Boar’s Head Deli Meat, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Food Poisoning Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.

9th Death Linked to Boar’s Head Deli Meat

As of August 28, 2024, Boar’s Head Deli Meat has been linked to at least 57 illnesses in more than a dozen states, including 9 people who died after being infected with Listeria monocytogenes, according to the CDC Outbreak Investigation.

Pregnant Woman Got Listeria From Boar’s Head Deli Meat at Publix in FL

In August 2024, a Boar’s Head Listeria lawsuit was filed by a pregnant women who was hospitalized after eating deli meat.

According to her lawsuit, she was 36 weeks pregnant when she ate Boar’s Head deli meat from a Publix grocery store in Florida. She was infected with Listeria and “nearly lost her unborn child,” but miraculously survived.

Listeria Symptoms Can Take 10 Weeks To Appear

The first illnesses were reported in May 2024, but it can take up to 10 weeks for Listeria symptoms to appear, or about 2-1/2 months.

Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any of these symptoms:

• People who are not pregnant usually have fever, muscle aches, and tiredness. They may also get a headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, or seizures.
• Pregnant people usually have fever, muscle aches, and tiredness. However, Listeria can cause pregnancy loss or premature birth. It can also cause serious illness or death in newborns.

Listeria Can Spread Beyond Digestive System

If symptoms do appear, they may indicate that Listeria has spread from your digestive system to your brain, spinal cord, other parts of your body, or unborn baby, so it is essential to seek emergency medical attention. Listeria infections can cause meningitis, sepsis (blood infections), pregnancy complications, and death, especially for high-risk individuals.

Who Is High Risk?

Deli meats and Listeria infections are most dangerous for high-risk- individuals, such as pregnant women, people aged 65 or older, newborn babies, or those who have a weakened immune system.

Healthy adults and older children can be infected with Listeria, but they rarely become seriously ill.

Pregnant Women May Have No Symptoms of Listeria

Pregnant women who are infected with Listeria may have no symptoms (or only a mild flu-like illness), but suffer a miscarriage or other complications. Anyone who ate Boar’s Head deli meat should be vigilant for symptoms.

Why Is Listeria So Dangerous?

Listeria is a particularly dangerous germ because it is so hardy in damp environments, like foods and refrigerators. Listeria can grow on foods in the refrigerator, survive in the freezer, and spread easily on surfaces to other foods that are stored or prepared in the same area.

What Should I Do?

If you bought Boar’s Head deli meat during the recall period and stored it at home, you can use bleach to disinfect all surfaces that may have come in contact with Listeria in the contaminated deli meat:

• Refrigerator
• Knives and other utensils
• Cutting boars
• Countertops
• Dishes
• And more

Cooking Foods To 165ºF Kills Listeria

It is important to note that Listeria is NOT heat-resistant, so it will NOT survive being cooked to a temperature of 165ºF or 74ºC. This is why health officials recommend that high-risk individuals who decide to eat deli meat can continue to safely eat it by ensuring that the meat has been cooked thoroughly to a temperature of 165ºF or until steaming hot.

Where Did People Get Sick?

As of August 28, 2024, at least 57 people have been hospitalized in the following states (but the true number of illnesses is likely much higher):

Where Did People Die?

As of August 28, 2024, at least 9 deaths have been linked to Boar’s Head deli meat in the following states:

• 1 in Illinois
• 1 in New Jersey
• 1 in Virginia
• 1 in Florida
• 1 in Tennessee
• 1 in New Mexico
• 1 in New York
• 2 in South Carolina

Boar’s Head Deli Meat Recall Timeline

In July 25, 2024, Boar’s Head recalled Strassburger Liverwurst after health officials in Maryland collected a sample from a store and it tested positive for Listeria. As a precaution, the company recalled 200,000 pounds of deli meat.

On July 29, 2024, the strain of Listeria found in the sample of Strassburger Liverwurst was found to be a match for the outbreak strain linked to a nationwide deli meat outbreak.

In response, Boar’s Head recalled 7 million pounds of deli meat, including every item produced at the facility in Jarratt, Virginia. The company also paused operations at the facility.

Consumers who bought Boar’s Head deli meat on or before 7/31/24 are advised to discard the products or return them to the store where purchased for a full refund.

Listeria Risks for Pregnant Women

Listeria is particularly dangerous for pregnant women. Pregnant women may not have any symptoms, but sadly, about 1 in 4 pregnant women who are infected with Listeria suffer a miscarriage or lose their baby shortly after birth.

The risks to pregnant women include:

• Miscarriage
• Stillbirth
• Preterm labor
• Premature birth
• Serious illness
• Infection of the newborn baby
• Death of newborn baby

Listeria Risks for Newborn Baby

Listeria can also cause lifelong health problems for a baby, including intellectual disability, paralysis, seizures, blindness, or problems with the brain, kidneys, or heart, or death.

Signs & Symptoms of Listeria

For healthy adults, infections with Listeria may cause mild flu-like symptoms such as fever, chills, muscle aches, and diarrhea or upset stomach. You may also experience a stiff neck, headache, confusion, or loss of balance. These symptoms may not appear for up to 2 months after eating food that is contaminated with Listeria.

What is the Problem With Deli Meat?

Deli meat is a recurrent source of Listeria contamination and recalls. The problem is that cold cuts, cheese, and other deli products are more likely to be contaminated due to how easily Listeria spreads on deli equipment, surfaces, hands, and nearby food items. Refrigeration does not kill Listeria, and it can be tough to kill.

Class Action Lawsuit Filed in New York

In August 2024, the first class action lawsuit was filed against Boar’s Head by a woman from New York City who is seeking compensation for buying recalled deli meat. Individual lawsuits are also being filed by people who got sick, hospitalized, or family members of those who died.

Listeria Outbreaks Linked to Deli Meat

Here are a few examples of Listeria outbreaks linked to deli meat and cheeses:

• 2022 Listeria outbreak linked to deli meat and cheese
• 2020 Listeria outbreak linked to deli meats
• 2019 Listeria outbreak linked to deli-sliced meats and cheeses
• 2018 Listeria outbreak linked to deli ham

Do I have a Boar’s Head Deli Meat Lawsuit?

The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting Listeria induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know was diagnosed with Listeria after eating Boar’s Head Deli Meat, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Food Poisoning Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.

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