A Snohomish woman claims she suffered a severe E. coli infection — and later a brain hemorrhage — after eating organic carrots linked to a multistate outbreak.
In her lawsuit filed in Seattle federal court in January, Jacqueline Galloway alleges that California-based Grimmway Farms sold contaminated organic whole and baby carrots that made her seriously ill.
Galloway purchased Grimmway carrots from a grocery store in Monroe in early October 2024. After eating them, she began experiencing symptoms days later, the lawsuit states.
She sought medical care after developing gastrointestinal distress, according to the complaint. A stool sample tested positive for Shiga toxin 2, and she was diagnosed with colitis.
Her condition worsened, and she returned to the emergency room with escalating symptoms. Imaging later revealed she had suffered a “frontal acute subarachnoid hemorrhage,” a type of brain bleed, the complaint states.
The lawsuit alleges the contaminated carrots were part of a larger E. coli outbreak in 2024 that sickened at least 39 people across 18 states, hospitalized 15, and was linked to one death.
Galloway claims the carrots were “manufactured, distributed, marketed, and sold” by Grimmway and were contaminated when they left the company’s control, according to the complaint.
The lawsuit alleges strict product liability, negligence, negligence per se, and breach of express and implied warranties. It seeks damages for medical expenses, pain and suffering, emotional distress, and other losses.
Puget Press has reached out to Grimmway Farms for comment.
Want more local news? Follow Puget Press Snohomish County on Facebook.
