David Ott purchased the meals at a Youngstown, Ohio, location on June 18 and 20, 2026. Within days, he suffered from severe abdominal pain, nausea, and fever. After standard medical tests failed to identify the cause, a specific Cyclospora screen confirmed a parasitic infection, leading to his two-day hospitalization and a regimen of sulfa antibiotics.

Federal health officials confirmed that shredded iceberg lettuce sourced from Mexico is the common link behind infections spanning Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, and West Virginia. This incident marks a recurring issue for Taylor Farms, which faced similar scrutiny in 2013 during an outbreak that sickened 631 people. Attorney Ron Simon, representing Ott, stated that the litigation aims to secure compensation for victims and force systemic changes in the food supply chain to prevent further contamination. Taco Bell has since removed the affected lettuce from its restaurants nationwide.