Boar’s Head — the embattled deli meat giant at the center of a listeria outbreak tied to its liverwurst — was slapped with a wrongful death lawsuit on Wednesday by the family of a man who died after allegedly eating the company’s ham.
Retired Air Force veteran Otis Adams Jr. died in May after he bought the allegedly tainted meat at a Tampa-area Publix grocery store, according to a complaint filed in the 12th Judicial Circuit in Sarasota County, Fla. He was 79 years old.
Boar’s Head recalled 7 million pounds of ready-to-eat meats and cheeses in July after dozens of people fell ill. At least 10 died.
The outbreak was blamed on liverwurst made at a roach-infested plant in Jarratt, Va., that was cited for dozens of health and safety violations in the past year.
Adams apparently did not eat liverwurst before his death.
Around April 12, Adams’ wife Judith purchased Boar’s Head Tavern Ham and Boar’s Head Yellow American Cheese at a Publix for her husband, according to the lawsuit.
Two weeks later, she bought more Boar’s Head Tavern Ham for her husband from the same Publix location, the suit said.
Adams ate the Boar’s Head ham over the next few days and then became ill, experiencing weakness, diarrhea, fatigue and a fever, the lawsuit said.
His sickness rapidly progressed, infecting his blood and causing him to develop meningitis and sepsis, the lawsuit said. Adams died on May 5.
“We allege that his painful, untimely death was completely preventable,” attorneys for the firm Morgan & Morgan said in a statement.
“Mrs. Adams is fighting to hold Boar’s Head accountable for the allegedly unsafe conditions at the Jarratt, VA facility that allegedly led to her husband’s death, and to make sure no one else has to go through the pain and loss she has experienced.”
She is seeking “just and proper” damages and relief as the court sees fit.
Boar’s Head did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In September, the Florida-based company announced it would stop making and selling liverwurst, and shuttered the Virginia factory.
“Our investigation has identified the root cause of the contamination as a specific production process that only existed at the Jarratt (Virginia) facility and was used only for liverwurst,” the company said in a statement.
The United State Department of Agriculture is conducting an internal investigation into its handling of Boar’s Head.
Aside from his wife, Adams is survived by his sister, three sons, seven grandchildren and great-granddaughter.
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