U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, Northern Division
The Estate of Clarence Wells v. Frontera Produce and Primus Labs
A lawsuit filed by the family of Clarence Wells alleges that 87-year-old Mr. Wells fell ill with a Listeria infection and died after eating contaminated Jensen Farms cantaloupe in August of 2011.
According to the complaint, Mr. Wells consumed cantaloupe on multiple occasions before falling ill with symptoms of Listeria infection on August 23, 2011. His condition worsened and he was hospitalized on August 25 after being seen at the emergency room.
By August 29, Mr. Wells was unable to eat, and on August 31 he had become extremely fevered. He was sedated and intubated to help keep his airway open, but despite the hospital staff’s best efforts at treating him, Mr. Wells died in the evening hours of August 31, 2011.
Mr. Wells’ family was later notified that he had tested positive for one of five strains of Listeria monocytogenes associated with the Jensen Farms cantaloupe outbreak.
Medical expenses associated with Mr. Wells’ Listeriosis exceeded $25,000.