Trader Joe’s Peanut Butter Lawsuit Filed Over Salmonella Food Poisoning

Trader Joe’s and Sunland Inc. face a food poisoning lawsuit filed by the father of a little boy who was hospitalized after eating peanut butter that has now been recalled.  

The complaint was brought by Lewis Lebron, on behalf of his minor child, in the North Carolina Superior Court.

According to allegations raised in the lawsuit, Lebron’s eight-year old son, Valencia, got sick on August 25, after eating Trader Joe’s peanut butter purchased at a Raleigh store.

The product was manufactured by Sunland Inc., which has recently issued a peanut butter recall due to salmonella contamination.

Lebron’s son reportedly suffered from abdominal cramps, which was followed by a fever, diarrhea that turned bloody and other gastrointestinal problems.

The peanut butter has been linked to at least 30 illnesses in 28 states, including four hospitalizations. Lebron’s son was one of those hospitalized, the lawsuit claims.

Trader Joe’s initially issued a recall for Creamy Salted Valencia branded peanut butter on September 22, but Sunland subsequently issued a recall for more than 100 products that may have become contaminated. The recalls have now been extended to a number of cookies and other products that were made with the tainted peanut butter.

On September 26, Whole Foods Market issued a recall for peanut butter and peanut butter chocolate chunk cookies being sold in its self-serve pastry cases at stores in Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas. The recall also affects mini peanut butter cookies sold in 12-pack paper bags with PLU 22096100000.

Lebron’s peanut butter food poisoning lawsuit charges the companies with product liability, breach of warranty, and negligence. He is seeking damages for lost wages, medical expenses, travel expenses, emotional distress, fear of harm and humiliation, physical pain, physical injury and other expenses.