A Colorado man has filed the first lawsuit against McDonald’s in connection with an E. coli outbreak linked to its Quarter Pounder sandwiches, which has resulted in at least 49 illnesses across 10 states and one death, CNN reports.
The legal action comes as health officials continue investigating the outbreak.
The lawsuit was filed just a day after the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a food safety alert, warning that dozens of individuals reported consuming the Quarter Pounder before falling ill. The plaintiff, Eric Stelly, purchased food from a McDonald’s location in Greeley, Colorado, three weeks ago and soon after developed severe gastrointestinal symptoms, including nausea, cramps, and bloody stools—symptoms commonly associated with E. coli. He sought emergency medical care and tested positive for the bacteria.
The lawsuit, filed in Cook County, Illinois, where McDonald’s is headquartered, accuses the company of product liability, negligence, and breach of implied warranties. It has yet to be determined what specific ingredient caused the contamination, but both slivered onions and beef patties used in the Quarter Pounder are being investigated by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as potential sources.
McDonald’s has not yet responded to the lawsuit. However, McDonald’s USA President Joe Erlinger, speaking on NBC’s Today show, reassured customers that it remains safe to eat at McDonald’s and that the contaminated ingredients may already be out of the supply chain. He added that further cases could emerge as the CDC investigation continues.
As a precaution, McDonald’s has temporarily removed Quarter Pounders from the menu in about 20% of its US stores and halted the use of affected onions and beef patties in multiple states, including Colorado, Kansas, Utah, and Wyoming. The company remains in close collaboration with suppliers and health authorities.
Ron Simon, the lawyer representing Stelly, described the outbreak as one of the most significant food poisoning incidents of the year, noting that his firm is representing several other individuals affected by the contamination. Simon vowed to ensure that all victims receive compensation and that McDonald’s addresses any health violations in its supply chain.
The investigation is ongoing, with McDonald’s supplier Taylor Farms Colorado stating that it has removed yellow onions from the market as a precaution, though no E. coli has been detected in tests conducted on the onions. Both the CDC and FDA continue to work to trace the origin of the outbreak.
