--- title: Ramona Family Naturals Market and Happy Hens Salmonella Outbreak Lawsuits date: 2026-09-04T20:03:00-07:00 author: Bill Marler canonical_url: "https://marlerclark.com/ramona-family-naturals-market-and-happy-hens-salmonella-outbreak-lawsuits" section: Litigation Landing Pages --- [Foodborne Illnesses](/foodborne-illnesses) / [Salmonella](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/salmonella) / # Ramona Family Naturals Market and Happy Hens Salmonella Outbreak Lawsuits Marler Clark represents three of the victims in this outbreak. - • *Cases:* 23 confirmed and suspected — 18 tied to the Market’s raw-egg mayonnaise, five in people sickened by Happy Hens eggs directly - • *Hospitalizations:* 7 - • *Deaths:* None reported - • *Source:* Raw, unpasteurized shell eggs from Eben-Haezer’s Happy Hens of Ramona, California - • *Status:* Ongoing. *Salmonella* has been found in two of seven Happy Hens hen houses and genetically linked to the patients. No recall has been issued. - • *Locations:* La Mesa, Del Mar, Ramona and Jamul in San Diego County, plus one case in Riverside County - • *Illness onsets:* June 21, 2026 through a most recent case detected August 16, 2026 ***Salmonella* in the Happy Hens barns matches the strain in the patients** San Diego County [announced on September 4, 2026](https://www.countynewscenter.com/salmonella-dna-found-on-farm-tied-to-ramona-outbreak/) that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration collected samples inside the Happy Hens hen houses in Ramona — from the floor and from the perch rails and nest boxes where droppings accumulate — and that *Salmonella* was found in two of the seven houses tested. Genetic testing linked the *Salmonella* from the farm to the strains from ill San Diegans. Test results on eggs distributed by the farm are still pending. The California Department of Public Health gave those results to the owners of Happy Hens and recommended that the farm issue a voluntary egg recall. As of September 4, the farm had not issued one. For six weeks the public defense of this farm rested on a single sentence: no sample from the farm has ever tested positive. It was said [on camera](https://fox5sandiego.com/news/local-news/ramona-salmonella-outbreak-happy-hens/) and repeated on social media. There is now a positive sample, and the genetics tie it to people who were hospitalized. **How the outbreak grew** **Date** **What was announced** July 28, 2026 The County reports 13 confirmed and probable cases, four hospitalized, with onsets back to June 21. The suspect food is house-made mayonnaise built on raw eggs, used in the Market’s chicken salads and in its Ramona Red Sauce, which was also sold by the bottle. August 15, 2026 A quiet County update, caught by the San Diego Union-Tribune, raises the count to 21 and identifies Happy Hens as the supplier of the eggs. August 17, 2026 The County names Happy Hens publicly: 21 cases, seven hospitalizations, and additional cases of the same strain, unrelated to the Market, under investigation. August 21, 2026 The County splits the outbreak for the first time — 18 illnesses from the Market’s mayonnaise, five from Happy Hens eggs themselves. Twenty-three cases, seven hospitalized. CDFA confirms FDA inspected the farm. August 31, 2026 The farm announces on its own Instagram account that FDA testing returned two positive samples, before any agency has said so. September 4, 2026 The County confirms *Salmonella* in two of seven hen houses, genetically linked to the patients, and reports that CDPH recommended a recall the farm has not issued. Sources: San Diego County News Center releases of [July 28](https://www.countynewscenter.com/salmonella-outbreak-linked-to-ramona-deli/), [August 17](https://www.countynewscenter.com/ramona-salmonella-outbreak-grows/) and [September 4, 2026](https://www.countynewscenter.com/salmonella-dna-found-on-farm-tied-to-ramona-outbreak/). **There is no recall, and no published list of the stores that received these eggs** Happy Hens eggs move through grocery accounts in San Diego, Orange and Los Angeles counties, through a farmers market, and through the farm’s own store. No agency has published a list of the retailers, restaurants and markets that received them. A family in La Mesa or Del Mar with a carton in the refrigerator right now has nothing to check that carton against. The County’s Department of Environmental Health and Quality says it has reached out to retail food facilities to keep the associated eggs out of use until it is safe. A voluntary recall is the first move, not the only one. Under the Food Safety Modernization Act, when FDA determines there is a reasonable probability that a food is adulterated and that eating it will cause serious adverse health consequences, the agency must first give the responsible party a chance to recall. If the company refuses, FDA may order it to cease distribution, notify everyone holding the product, and issue a recall order. [21 U.S.C. § 350l](https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/21/350l). California ran this same play nine months ago. In the Vega Farms egg outbreak, CDPH and CDFA inspected, sampled, and matched the isolates by whole genome sequencing; the firm recalled on December 5, and CDPH [published its own consumer warning](https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/OPA/Pages/NR25-025.aspx) with the brand name, handler code, Julian dates and a complaint hotline. Sixty-three Californians sick, thirteen hospitalized. Here the state has the match and has asked, and there is still no recall and no consumer warning. **California law requires pasteurized eggs in mayonnaise** The California Retail Food Code requires a food facility to substitute pasteurized eggs for raw shell eggs in foods that are not thoroughly cooked, and it names mayonnaise as its example. [Health and Safety Code § 114012](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=HSC§ionNum=114012). The only lawful way around that requirement is a written variance from the local enforcement agency. A laying operation of this size is federally regulated. [21 C.F.R. part 118](https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/21/part-118) requires a written *Salmonella*Enteritidis prevention plan, environmental testing of each poultry house, and, when an environmental sample is positive, [egg testing with diversion of the eggs](https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/21/118.6) to pasteurization until the testing clears. Whether that happened here is a question for the inspection record, which nobody outside the agencies has seen. **The cases Marler Clark has filed** Whitney and Casey Hight of Ramona [filed the first lawsuit in this outbreak](https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/ramona-couple-sues-ramona-family-naturals-market-and-the-happy-hens-egg-ranch-over-the-salmonella-outbreak-that-has-now-sickened-twenty-one-people/) in San Diego County Superior Court on August 18, 2026, against Ramona Family Naturals, Inc. and Eben-Haezer’s Happy Hens, with Frederic L. Gordon of San Diego as local counsel. Whitney Hight ate the Market’s Ramona Red chicken salad on June 25 and was sick for roughly ten days. A First Amended Complaint adding the September 4 findings — the two positive hen houses, the genetic match to the patient strain, the recall recommendation and the response to it — is set to be filed on September 8, 2026, together with two new complaints against the same defendants. Julie Dye is a registered nurse with nineteen years of experience and the nurse educator of the emergency department at Sharp Grossmont Hospital. She ate the Market’s apple walnut chicken salad during the week of June 21, was admitted with septic shock and acute kidney failure, and spent seven days in the hospital. Virginia Ann Terrell ate the Market’s egg salad and tuna salad and had bought Happy Hens eggs directly for years. She became ill on June 28 and went to the emergency department on July 1. Her husband Andrew brings a claim for loss of consortium, as does Julie Dye’s husband, Michael. **You may have a claim** You may have a claim if you were diagnosed with a *Salmonella* infection after: - • eating from the deli counter at Ramona Family Naturals Market, 325 6th Street in Ramona; - • eating eggs bought from Happy Hens at its farm store, at a farmers market, or at a grocery store that carried them; or - • eating at a restaurant or other food business that used Happy Hens eggs. You do not need to have been hospitalized, and you do not need to have kept the carton. **If you got sick, ask for a stool culture — and ask that your isolate be kept** Anyone with diarrhea, fever or abdominal cramps after eating undercooked eggs should see a doctor and ask for a stool culture, and report the illness to the County Department of Environmental Health and Quality at (858) 505-6814 or through its [online form](https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/dam/sdc/deh/fhd/food/pdf/publications_epiintakeform.pdf). Keep the carton, the receipt, or a photograph of either. And ask the laboratory or the health department to preserve your isolate. Whole genome sequencing of that isolate is what connects one person’s illness to everyone else’s in an outbreak, and isolates are routinely discarded. **Frequently asked questions** **Has there been a recall of Happy Hens eggs?** No. The California Department of Public Health recommended that the farm issue a voluntary recall, and as of September 4, 2026 the farm had not done so. No list of the stores, farmers markets or restaurants that received these eggs has been published. FDA has authority to order a recall under [21 U.S.C. § 350l](https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/21/350l) if a company refuses to act voluntarily. **Do I need a positive test on an egg to bring a claim?** No. Civil causation in a foodborne illness case is proved with the same package public health uses: patient isolates linked to one another by whole genome sequencing, exposure histories pointing to a common food, and traceback to a single supplier. A product-side match is confirmation, not a prerequisite. In this outbreak there is now a match from the farm’s own hen houses as well. **How long do I have to file?** California generally allows two years from the date of injury to bring a personal injury claim, and different rules apply to minors and to claims involving public entities. Deadlines are shorter than most people expect, and evidence — receipts, medical records, laboratory isolates — disappears well before they run. Ask early. **What does it cost to talk to a lawyer?** Nothing. Consultations are free, and Marler Clark handles these cases on a contingent fee, which means there is no attorney’s fee unless there is a recovery. **Get help** If you or a family member became ill with *Salmonella* after eating at Ramona Family Naturals Market or after eating Happy Hens eggs, [get a free consultation](https://marlerclark.com/contact). Call 1-800-884-9840 or email bmarler@marlerclark.com. **Other *Salmonella* lawsuits** - • [Kellogg’s Honey Smacks *Salmonella* Lawsuits](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/kelloggs-honey-smacks-salmonella-lawsuits-multistate-2018) - • [Hy-Vee *Salmonella* Outbreak Lawsuits](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/hy-vee-salmonella-outbreak-lawsuits-multistate-2018) - • [Fareway Chicken Salad *Salmonella* Outbreak Litigation](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/fareway-chicken-salad-salmonella-outbreak-and-litigation-multistate-2018) - • [Citterio Salame *Salmonella* Outbreak Litigation](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/citterio-salame-stick-lawsuit) **Related resources** - • [*Salmonella* Food Poisoning](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/salmonella/about-salmonella) - • [Symptoms of *Salmonella* Infection](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/salmonella/salmonella-symptoms-risks) - • [Complications of *Salmonella* Infection](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/salmonella/complications-of-salmonella-infection) - • [Transmission of *Salmonella* Bacteria](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/salmonella/transmission-of-salmonella-bacteria) - • [*Salmonella* Litigation at Marler Clark](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/salmonella) **Lawsuit updates** - • [The *Salmonella* in the Happy Hens Barns Matches the Ramona Outbreak Strain (September 4, 2026)](https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/the-salmonella-in-the-happy-hens-barns-matches-the-ramona-outbreak-strain-the-state-asked-the-farm-to-recall-its-eggs-it-has-not/) - • [San Diego County Splits the Ramona Outbreak in Two (August 21, 2026)](https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/san-diego-county-just-split-the-ramona-salmonella-outbreak-in-two-eighteen-sick-from-the-delis-mayonnaise-five-sick-from-the-eggs-themselves-and-there-is-still-no-recall/) - • [Marler Clark Sues Ramona Family Naturals Market and Happy Hens (August 18, 2026)](https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/ramona-couple-sues-ramona-family-naturals-market-and-the-happy-hens-egg-ranch-over-the-salmonella-outbreak-that-has-now-sickened-twenty-one-people/) - • [The Ramona Deli Was a Cluster. Happy Hens Was the Source. (August 16, 2026)](https://www.marlerblog.com/case-news/the-ramona-deli-was-a-salmonella-cluster-happy-hens-was-the-source-twenty-one-sick-and-the-eggs-are-still-moving/) ***Salmonella*** *Salmonella* sickens more than a million Americans every year and is the leading cause of hospitalizations and deaths among foodborne bacteria. Its reach is remarkable—it turns up in produce, poultry, pantry staples, and pet food alike. [Marler Clark, The Food Safety Law Firm](https://marlerclark.com/), is the nation’s leading firm representing victims of [*Salmonella*](https://about-salmonella.com/) outbreaks. Our [*Salmonella* lawyers](https://marlerclark.com/food-litigation/salmonella-outbreak-litigation) have represented thousands of victims in the only U.S. law practice devoted exclusively to foodborne illness, which has recovered more than $850 million for victims and families nationwide. We have tied [*Salmonella*](https://about-salmonella.com/) outbreaks to cantaloupe, tomatoes, ground turkey, salami, sprouts, cereal, peanut butter, and restaurant meals, and we have brought cases against Cargill, ConAgra, Peanut Corporation of America, Sheetz, Taco Bell, Subway, and Wal-Mart. The Peanut Corporation of America outbreak ended in federal criminal convictions, with the company’s owner sentenced to twenty-eight years in prison. We are also pressing the federal government to treat *Salmonella* as an adulterant on raw chicken, so that contaminated poultry can be kept off store shelves the way dangerous *E. coli* already is. If you or a family member became ill with a [*Salmonella*](https://about-salmonella.com/) infection—including lasting complications such as [reactive arthritis](https://about-reactive-arthritis.com/) or [irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)](https://about-irritablebowelsyndrome.com/)—after eating contaminated food, contact the Marler Clark [*Salmonella*](https://about-salmonella.com/) attorneys for a free case evaluation. ### Salmonella news and updates August 13, 2026 ###### [Salmonella and the 2026 Jalapeño Outbreak: Frequently Asked Questions](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/salmonella-and-the-2026-jalape%C3%B1o-outbreak-frequently-asked-questions) Marler Clark — The Food Safety Law Firm | Updated August 13, 2026 The questions below come in two parts. The first covers Salmonella generally … December 30, 2022 ###### [FDA weighs in on Sun Sprouts Salmonella Outbreak](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/fda-weighs-in-on-sun-sprouts-salmonella-outbreak) The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), along with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state and local partners, is investigating a … December 11, 2022 ###### [4 Restaurant Chains That Have Had Salmonella Outbreaks](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/4-restaurant-chains-that-have-had-salmonella-outbreaks) In late June of 2003, the Lake County Health Department (LCHD) was contacted by health care providers who had treated patients for Salmonellosis, and customers … [1. View all ](https://marlerclark.com/news_events/outbreaks) ## All Salmonella Resources [###### Salmonella Food Poisoning ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/salmonella/about-salmonella) [###### The Incidence of Salmonella Infections ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/salmonella/the-incidence-of-salmonella-infections) [###### The Prevalence of Salmonella in Food and Elsewhere ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/salmonella/the-prevalence-of-salmonella-in-food-and-elsewhere) [###### Transmission of Salmonella Bacteria ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/salmonella/transmission-of-salmonella-bacteria) [###### Symptoms of Salmonella Infection ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/salmonella/salmonella-symptoms-risks) [###### Complications of Salmonella Infection ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/salmonella/complications-of-salmonella-infection) [###### How is Salmonella Infection Diagnosed? ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/salmonella/salmonella-diagnosis) [###### Treatment for Salmonella Infection ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/salmonella/salmonella-treatment) [###### Antimicrobial Resistance ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/salmonella/antibiotic-resistance) [###### The Economic Impact of Salmonella Infections ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/salmonella/the-economic-impact-of-salmonella-infections) [###### Real Life Impacts of Salmonella Infection ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/salmonella/real-life-impacts-of-salmonella-infection) [###### How to Prevent a Salmonella Infection ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/salmonella/salmonella-prevention) [###### Salmonella Outbreaks ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/salmonella/salmonella-outbreaks) [###### Salmonella Outbreak at Minnesota Chipotle Sickens 64 People ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/salmonella/salmonella-outbreak-at-minnesota-chipotle-sickens-64-people) [###### Citterio Salame Stick Oubreak ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/salmonella/citterio-salame-stick-oubreak) [###### Salmonella Recalls ](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/salmonella/salmonella-recalls) ### Other foodborne illnesses [E. coli](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/e-coli) [Salmonella](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/salmonella) [Listeria](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/listeria) [Hepatitis A](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/hepatitis-a) [Reactive Arthritis](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/reactive-arthritis) [Guillain-Barre Syndrome](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/guillain-barre-syndrome) [Irritable Bowel Syndrome](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/irritable-bowel-syndrome) [Norovirus](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/norovirus) [Botulism](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/botulism) [Campylobacter](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/campylobacter) [Shigella](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/shigella) [Cyclospora](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/cyclospora) [Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome](https://marlerclark.com/foodborne-illnesses/hemolytic-uremic-syndrome)