Man sues Supermercado Rivera over salmonella outbreak

A man is suing a grocery store and restaurant in Archer Heights on the Southwest Side after allegedly getting sick from a reported salmonella outbreak last month.

Roman Caballero filed the suit Monday in Cook County Circuit Court, claiming he became ill after eating carnitas from Supermercado Rivera, 4334 W. 51st St., on Feb. 24.

He woke up early the next morning to extreme nausea, and over the next few hours, his symptoms progressed to vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal cramps, the lawsuit claims. He went to the emergency room at Palos Hospital on Feb. 26 and tested positive for salmonella.

Earlier this month, the Chicago Public Health Department released a statement linking six cases of salmonella between Feb. 23 and Feb. 24 to carnitas and other food bought Supermercado Rivera’s kitchen counter.

The suit accuses the store of negligence, breach of warranty and product liability for selling contaminated food. Caballero is seeking more than $100,000 in damages for physical injury, economic loss, medical bills, pain and suffering, loss of normal life, lost wages and emotional distress.

A representative for Supermercado Rivera could not immediately be reached for comment about the lawsuit Tuesday morning.