Nicolet Law Files First Lawsuit in the Nation Over Salmonella Javiana Outbreak Linked to Contaminated Jalapeños

Minneapolis, Minnesota – Nicolet Law has filed the first lawsuit in the country connected to the ongoing Salmonella Javiana outbreak tied to contaminated jalapeño peppers in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota (Court file 26-cv-03514).

Attorney Lindsay Lien filed the suit on behalf of a Twin Cities woman who was hospitalized with sepsis after eating a chicken burrito bowl containing jalapeños from Chipotle. Nicolet Law represents multiple individuals sickened with Salmonella in Minnesota and is co-counseling on the case with OFT Food Safety Lawyers. 

The current Salmonella outbreak has grown to 345 confirmed cases across 27 states and 36 hospitalizations as of August 5, 2026, with a heavy concentration of illnesses in Minnesota. The FDA has identified the source as fresh jalapeño peppers grown in Sinaloa, Mexico and distributed by Coast Citrus Distributors, which has agreed to recall the implicated product. Both Chipotle and QDOBA received the affected peppers, and federal investigators are still determining whether the contaminated jalapeños reached other retailers or restaurants nationwide.

Nicolet Law is committed to protecting people harmed by dangerous products, including food. “This isn’t just a Chipotle problem. It’s a supply chain problem, and the people who got sick deserve answers about how contaminated peppers made it into restaurants across two dozen states,” said Lindsay Lien, Injury and Product Liability Attorney at Nicolet Law. “Filing this case puts the discovery process in motion, which is how we get a full picture of what happened and hold the responsible parties accountable.”

“Midwesterners deserve safe food, and we are going to do what we can to hold the companies accountable that don’t honor that,” said Russell Nicolet, President of Nicolet Law. 

Anyone who got a Salmonella infection after eating jalapeños at Chipotle, QDOBA, or another restaurant is encouraged to contact Nicolet Law for a free consultation. Minnesota law sets a four-year statute of limitations for strict product liability claims involving contaminated food under Minn. Stat. § 541.05, Subd. 2. Because food is a product, sick individuals do not need to prove negligence to pursue a claim. Nicolet Law does not charge attorney’s fees unless money is recovered for the client. More information about the outbreak and legal options is available at nicoletlaw.com/blog/salmonella-javiana-outbreak.

CASE INFORMATION
U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota
Kristen Behne v. Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc.
Case No. 26-cv-03514

Nicolet Law Accident & Injury Lawyers represents injured individuals across Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota, and Iowa. The firm has offices throughout the Midwest and is available 24/7 at 1-855-NICOLET.

Nicolet Law
43 SE Main Street, Suite #500
Minneapolis, MN 55414
1-855-NICOLET
Katiep@nicoletlaw.com
https://nicoletlaw.com/
Press Contact : Katie Paulson

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