A woman in Louisiana is suing Wendy’s after allegedly consuming a contaminated double cheeseburger that sent her on a month-long stay in the intensive care unit. According to the suit, the woman was admitted to the hospital under “a myriad of diagnoses,” including gastrointestinal bleeding, septic shock, cerebral hemorrhaging, and a possible E.coli infection.
We’re not even four months into the new year, but we’ve seen multiple lawsuits slammed against fast-food restaurants in 2023. Last week, a man sued Dunkin’ over ‘undisclosed’ charges placed on his receipt via mobile ordering, and just under a month ago a Chicago resident slammed Buffalo Wild Wings with a lawsuit over their ‘deceptive’ boneless chicken wings, which they claim are misleading since they aren’t really de-boned wings. Fast food joints face constant scrutiny, but now Wendy’s is the latest to face a heavy-hitting claim. Here’s what we know about the recent lawsuit:
READ MORE: Wendy’s New Menu Item Is A Direct Assault On McDonald’s Snack Wraps
Woman Claims Wendy's Double Cheeseburger Sent Her To Hospital For A Month, According To New Lawsuit
Jena Vogt ordered the double cheeseburger combo meal on July 27 from a Wendy's location in St Rose, Louisiana. What followed was a series of gastrointestinal symptoms felt within the first 24 hours and an eventual ambulance ride to the emergency room the next morning. After ingesting the meal on July 27, Jena Vogt spent two months being treated for her resulting health issues, with the first month spent in the ICU. She was transferred to a second hospital on August 28 and was released to at-home care on September 28.
According to the lawsuit, the burger was contaminated with a "preformed toxin" or became contaminated because of improper food handling such as "poor handwashing procedures." Now, Jena and Michael Vogt seek more than $75,000 over the wife's hospital stay, injuries, and resulting damages.
As reported by New Orleans' Fox 8 Live, the lawsuit states that “Mrs. Vogt has suffered personal, severe injuries causing her to receive medical treatment," which have resulted in "physical and mental pain and suffering, past and future medical expenses, past and future discomfort and physical impairment, past and future lost opportunity for income, and loss of enjoyment of life.”
Not only does the couple claim that Jena Vogt faced a collection of health problems and medical bills after eating the burger, but also that the incident deeply affected their marriage. Michael Vogt served as her personal caretaker and claims to have faced a "loss of consortium" (a legal term for spousal benefits, such as companionship, support, and affection) since taking care of his wife. Perhaps they forgot to include "in sickness and in health" in their vows.
Fans React To New Lawsuit Against Wendy's Cheeseburger
News just came out about the lawsuit, but some fans are already reacting on the Internet. In a thread about the news, one customer wrote, "I believe it. I ate at a Wendy's last Monday and was violently ill for most of the week." They claimed they "lost 3 lbs in one day."
Others approached the lawsuit with some skepticism. In the comments section of a NY Post article, one reader wrote, "Were there any other cases? If the food was that unsanitary there should be more than one person who was affected." At this time, no other reports have come forward, though they will presumably discuss that in court.
Yikes! Here's to hoping no more Wendy's meals send customers to the hospital and that the Louisiana couple can recover from the alleged damages.
