What We Know About the Boar’s Head Listeria Outbreak
CDC and FSIS investigated a multistate Listeria monocytogenes outbreak linked to Boar’s Head ready-to-eat deli meats sliced at retail delis. The investigation is closed with 61 illnesses, 60 hospitalizations, and 10 deaths across 19 states.
How Investigators Linked Boar’s Head
State partners in Maryland and New York tested unopened Boar’s Head liverwurst from retail stores. Whole genome sequencing matched the outbreak strain in patient samples. Of 48 people interviewed, 94% reported eating deli meats. Of 44 who answered about liverwurst, 27 (61%) reported deli-sliced liverwurst and 20 named Boar’s Head specifically.
FSIS sampling inside the Jarratt, Virginia plant also found Listeria on a pallet jack that moved through its raw and ready-to-eat areas. On July 30, 2024, the company expanded its July 26 recall to about 7 million pounds of deli products. On September 13, 2024, with the plant idle since FSIS suspended inspection in late July, Boar’s Head announced it would close it indefinitely and permanently discontinue its liverwurst line. The plant resumed operations on February 2, 2026, after what the company called extensive renovation.
Ron Simon Filed the First Wrongful Death Lawsuit
Ron Simon & Associates announced the first wrongful death listeria lawsuit in this outbreak on behalf of the family of Gunter Garshon Morgenstein, an 88-year-old Holocaust survivor and Newport News, Virginia resident who died on July 18, 2024 after eating Boar’s Head liverwurst. The lawsuit was filed in Sarasota County, Florida in September 2024 (where Boar’s Head is headquartered). Boar’s Head reached a confidential settlement on December 13, 2024.
Who Was Most at Risk
The median age of people sickened was 78 years. Listeria is especially dangerous for adults over 65, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems. Ten deaths were reported in Illinois, New Jersey, New York, Virginia, Florida, Tennessee, New Mexico, and South Carolina.
Your Legal Rights
If you were hospitalized or lost a family member after eating recalled Boar’s Head deli meat, you may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, and other damages. Statute of limitations deadlines vary by state, so document your exposure and diagnosis promptly.
Ron Simon & Associates is a food poisoning law firm that has recovered over $850 million for victims nationwide. Our Listeria lawyers are reviewing claims from this outbreak. Contact us for a free consultation at 1-888-335-4901. You pay our law firm nothing unless we recover compensation for you.