A Long Island man died after eating listeria-contaminated Boar’s Head liverwurst, leading to a lawsuit filed by his widow seeking $20 million in damages. Robert Hamilton consumed the deli meat in early July, resulting in illness that ultimately led to his death. Boar’s Head recalled 7 million pounds of products in July due to contamination concerns, with dozens of people falling ill and the liverwurst testing positive for listeria.
Following his consumption of the tainted cold cuts, Hamilton began experiencing flu-like symptoms before his condition worsened, leading to stomach pains, diarrhea, and an elevated temperature. He was admitted to Nassau University Medical Center, where blood cultures confirmed a listeria infection. Hamilton passed away six days later on July 18, with the state Health Department confirming the death’s link to the Boar’s Head listeria outbreak.
Hamilton’s death is one of ten fatalities linked to the Boar’s Head listeria outbreak, with 59 others hospitalized across 19 states. The outbreak has resulted in two deaths in New York, as well as additional fatalities in New Jersey, Illinois, Virginia, Florida, Tennessee, New Mexico, and South Carolina. Boar’s Head’s Jarratt, Virginia plant, where mold, mildew, insects, and pools of blood were reported, has been closed following an investigation by the US Agriculture Department.
The 2011 listeria outbreak resulting from contaminated cantaloupe was the worst prior to the recent Boar’s Head incident, with 147 illnesses and 33 deaths reported. Listeria bacteria, known for their resilience in refrigeration, cause around 1,600 infections and 260 deaths annually in the United States. Symptoms can appear up to 10 weeks after consuming contaminated food, making infections hard to detect. Boar’s Head has expressed regret and issued apologies for the contamination in their products, although neither the company nor the Hamilton family have provided further comments on the lawsuit or incident.
