A Kansas woman plans to sue Taco Bell after she allegedly contracted cyclosporiasis from food there.
Ron Simon & Associates, a food safety law firm based in Houston, announced on Tuesday that it is representing Nicole Belote of Hutchinson, who allegedly became “extremely ill” after eating a Taco Supreme.
The firm said Belote purchased the taco at a Taco Bell in Hutchinson on July 1 and became sick eight days later. It can take up to two weeks for symptoms of cyclosporiasis to appear.
The law firm said Belote’s condition got worse, and she was rushed to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center on July 13.
Belote spent three days in the hospital with watery diarrhea, vomiting, bloating and a “blinding migraine,” the firm said.
Belote, a single mom of two, was discharged from the hospital on July 16 but said she continues to deal with long-term symptoms.
Belote suffers from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and the illness made her so dehydrated that it allegedly affected her lung function, the firm said. She has to take four liters of fluids each evening for the foreseeable future.
One of her daughters is an adult with developmental disabilities, the law firm said, and the effects of cyclosporiasis have made caring for her more difficult.
“I’m still suffering from an incredible amount of fatigue,” Belote said in a release, calling cyclosporiasis “literally the worst experience I’ve ever had.”
More than 6,700 people across the U.S. and at least 460 people in Kansas have become ill this summer due to an outbreak of the cyclospora parasite.
Federal health investigators have linked the outbreak to shredded iceberg lettuce produced by Taylor Farms in Mexico. The lettuce was served at Taco Bell locations in several states, including Kansas.
As of July 17, Taco Bell said it had removed all affected Taylor Farms lettuce from its restaurants.
“We took this action to ensure our guests can enjoy their Taco Bell favorites safely,” the company said in a release. “We believe public health is a shared responsibility among restaurants, their suppliers, and authorities, and we are proud to have consistently acted quickly and proactively to protect our guests.”
Belote’s lawsuit will be among a growing number of similar suits filed by people affected by the outbreak in states like Michigan and Ohio.
The firm said it plans to file the lawsuit within the next few days.
