Chipotle Mexican Grill is facing a lawsuit from a Minnesota woman who alleges a burrito bowl from a Roseville restaurant caused a severe Salmonella infection that landed her in the hospital with sepsis. Kristen Behne filed the complaint in U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota and is seeking more than $75,000 in compensatory damages.
Behne accuses Chipotle of strict product liability, negligence and violations of Minnesota food-safety law. According to the lawsuit, she ate a chicken burrito bowl on June 24 that included guacamole, Fresh Tomato Salsa and Roasted Chili-Corn Salsa, which the complaint alleges contained raw jalapeño peppers.
Days later, Behne allegedly developed fever, chills, vomiting, abdominal cramping and severe diarrhea. She eventually sought emergency care, was admitted to the hospital and was diagnosed with sepsis, according to the complaint.
“Three days later she was in a hospital bed, febrile, tachycardic and septic — a life-threatening complication of the Salmonella infection caused by Chipotle’s grossly contaminated food,” the lawsuit alleges. “She has not been the same since.”
Minnesota woman sues Chipotle after burrito bowl allegedly caused Salmonella infection, sepsis https://t.co/6XjuJeZJDN
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The lawsuit says the Minnesota Department of Health identified Behne as a confirmed case associated with the Salmonella Javiana outbreak. The multistate outbreak has sickened at least 345 people in 27 states, according to the CDC, and 36 people have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported.
Health officials traced the outbreak to jalapeño peppers grown in Sinaloa, Mexico, and distributed by Coast Citrus Distributors. Chipotle and Qdoba both removed the affected peppers after they were notified, and Chipotle said it replaced the jalapeños with product from different growers.
Behne’s complaint says her health has not returned to its pre-illness baseline. It claims she remains at increased risk of post-infectious complications, including reactive arthritis and post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome.
Chipotle said the recalled jalapeños are no longer in its restaurants. The CDC and FDA say they do not consider either Chipotle or Qdoba to present a current ongoing risk to customers from this outbreak.