Four Lawsuits Filed Over Taco Bell Cyclospora Outbreak

At least four lawsuits have been filed in state and federal courts after health officials linked shredded lettuce sold at Taco Bell to a cyclosporiasis outbreak that has reached 34 states. The cases, brought by residents in Ohio and Michigan, target the company's franchisees and suppliers as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention works to confirm the scope of the contamination.

An Ohio man filed the first suit July 16 against Pacific Bells, a major Taco Bell franchisee, in federal court. The complaint said he ate three meals at a North Olmsted location on June 14 and June 21, then fell ill about a week later. He developed diarrhea and vomiting on June 24, sought medical attention July 3, and learned from a stool sample he had contracted cyclosporiasis. The sickness forced him to miss two weeks of work and lose income, the lawsuit said.

The next day, an Ohio woman sued Taco Bell America and its suppliers, Taylor Farms California and Taylor Fresh Foods, after eating Taco Bell food on June 3, June 15, and June 24. Her complaint said she suffered physical illness, pain, diminished working capacity, and ongoing recovery. Both plaintiffs are represented by Marler Clark, a food-safety law firm, and by Alexander Darr of Darr Law.

A married Michigan couple filed suit July 17 against Taco Bell Corp, Taco Bell America, and Taylor Fresh Foods, saying they ate shredded iceberg lettuce at a Durand, Michigan, Taco Bell on June 30. The complaint said they endured "great pain, suffering, and inconvenience" that could continue. That case is handled by OFT Law Food Safety & Injury Lawyers.

A fourth lawsuit, filed the same day, targets Taylor Fresh Foods and Charter Foods, a Taco Bell franchisee. The plaintiff said he bought food June 18 and June 20 from a Youngstown Taco Bell and fell sick days later. Ron Simon & Associates, another food-safety firm, represents him.

Taco Bell Corp said in a statement it had removed the affected Taylor Farms lettuce from its restaurants. "Based on ongoing conversations with public health officials, and out of an abundance of caution, Taco Bell worked swiftly to voluntarily remove the product from restaurants and the affected ingredient has been removed from our supply chain nationwide," the company said. It called public health a "shared responsibility among restaurants, their suppliers, and authorities."

Taylor Farms last week said it was "voluntarily removing" all its Mexico-sourced iceberg lettuce from the US market. Health officials are still investigating, leaving the possibility that other affected products or sources could emerge.

Cyclosporiasis, spread through contaminated food and water, causes diarrhea, nausea, abdominal pain, and other symptoms. The CDC said it has received reports of 1,645 confirmed domestic cases since May 1 and is aware of over 5,100 cases that need further analysis. The outbreak spans 34 states.

Food safety lawyers told Business Insider that more individual lawsuits are likely, though a class-action suit probably won't materialize. The injuries vary widely from person to person, they said, making a single class-action difficult to certify.