Woman nearly loses unborn child after eating deli meat containing listeria, claims lawsuit
MINNEAPOLIS — A Minnesota law firm has filed the first federal lawsuit connected to a huge listeria outbreak linked to deli meats after a pregnant woman in the metro claims it nearly caused her to lose her unborn child.
"There hasn't been a time in my 20-year career that I haven't had a listeria case in my office," said attorney Brendan Flaherty.
Flaherty says many listeria cases fly under the radar but this nationwide outbreak is drawing attention to the issue.
Last week, Boar's Head expanded its recall to include 7 million more pounds of deli meats linked to the listeria outbreak. That recall includes more than 70 different products.
"Listeria is interesting because it can be in almost any type of food it can be in vegetables, it can be in ice cream, it can be in caramel apples — and those are all cases that I have handled, " Flaherty said.
Flaherty's client, Ashley Solberg from Coon Rapids, was in Florida visiting her parents.
"She went to Publix to get some deli meats, she ate very little but what she did eat turned out to be grossly contaminated," Flaherty said.
Solberg didn't feel sick until 10 days later.
"When she just started feeling not right and then that went to diarrheal illness, body aches, severe headaches and fever and by that point, she knew something was really wrong and went to the emergency room," said Flaherty.
Flaherty believes the quick actions of doctors, hospitalizing and treating her symptoms, saved the life of her unborn child. Pregnant women can get the infection faster than others.
"They are 10 times more likely to develop a listeria infection and when they do the mother's health is at risk but more disturbing the fetus and unborn child is at great risk. Listeria passes directly from the mother to the unborn child and causes fetal death and severe birth defects," Flaherty said.
Since the outbreak started in May, the CDC says three people have died and more than 40 people across 13 states got so sick they had to go to the hospital — including in Minnesota and Wisconsin.
"She wants accountability she wants to bring attention to the issue of food safety, " Flaherty said.
WCCO reached out to Boar's Head for comment but has not heard back.
