CHARLESTON -- An Greenbrier County man is suing Johnsonville Sausage, LLC, after he claims he contracted meningitis from a bratwurst.
Greenbrier Valley Medical Center and Hospital Physician Partners were also named as defendants in the suit.
In late May or early June 2010, Eric Nelson Redden III consumed a bratwurst manufactured and distributed by Johnsonville Sausage, according to a complaint filed June 8 in Kanawha Circuit Court.
On June 2, 2010, Redden claims he presented to Greenbrier Valley Medical Center with chest pain, nausea, vomiting, neck pain, back pain and knee pain, but that the hospital failed to recognize, treat and diagnose his true and serious condition.
On June 4, 2010, Redden returned to the hospital via emergency services and was diagnosed with a GI bleed, leukocytosis, fever and altered mental status, according to the suit, and was then sent to Roanoke Memorial Hospital in Roanoke, Va., where he was diagnosed with meningitis.
Redden claims shortly after that, the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources/the Bureau of Public Health tested the bratwurst manufactured and distributed by Johnsonville and found a presence of the bacteria called listeria, which is known to manifest itself as meningitis.
The defendants' negligence and breach of duty caused Redden to suffer medical expenses; loss of future earning capacity; physical pain and suffering; mental pain and suffering; annoyance, embarrassment, humiliation and inconvenience; and loss of enjoyment of life, according to the suit.
Redden is seeking compensatory and punitive damages with pre- and post-judgment interest. He is being represented by Richard D. Lindsay and Matthew C. Lindsay.
The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Jennifer Bailey.
Kanawha Circuit Court case number: 11-C-943
