Grand Rapids woman files $75,000 lawsuit against Jimmy John's over mustard
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GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WJBK) - A Grand Rapids woman is suing the sandwich chain Jimmy John's because she was served a sandwich that caused a severe allergic reaction.
Lindsay Bresnahan filed the complaint in the U.S. District Court in Grand Rapids on Friday, according to Wood TV. In the complaint, she said she's "been unable to speak above a whisper since the incident occurred." The cause, she claims, is due to a bad sandwich order delivered to her on June 2 while she was at work.
The suit claims Bresnahan called in an order for the "Billy Club Unwich". The bread-free meal is wrapped in lettuce and comes with roast beef, smoked ham, provolone cheese, Dijon mustard, lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise.
The problem, Bresnahan claims, is in the mustard. She said she specifically asked for no dijon mustard or mayonnaise. After receiving her sandwich, she took a bite and realized that both condiments were on the sandwich.
Bresnahan says that she started to notice an adverse reaction to ingredients in Dijon mustard about a year before the incident and has been avoiding the condiment ever since.
Her attorney says she was forced to spend months dealing with the reaction, with no noticeable improvement. She also had to move from her apartment and can't work since she can barely "speak above a whisper." Mueller told the Washington Post that it is unclear if the damage to Bresnahan's mouth is permanent.
"It is not unreasonable to expect a sandwich shop to make the sandwich according to the order," Mueller explained to the paper via e-mail. "Sometimes no harm results, other than annoyance. Other times, like here, serious harm can result. Either way, Jimmy John's is accountable for its negligence."
According to the FDA, food allergies send about 30,000 Americans to the emergency room annually and an estimated 150 to 200 people die each year because of allergic reactions to food.
Jimmy John's operates over 2,500 franchise locations in the U.S. A representative for the company was not immediately available for comment.
Information from FOX News was used in this report.