LOUISVILLE — A 68-year-old Jefferson County man has filed a federal lawsuit alleging he contracted cyclospora after eating at the Taco Bell restaurant on Outer Loop, part of an outbreak that legal filings say now involves more than 400 people across 20 states.
Patient seeks damages, alleges prolonged illness and hospitalization
Patrick L. Bogard filed the complaint Aug. 6 in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky, Louisville Division, naming ABTB Louisville LLC, Taylor Fresh Foods, Inc. and Taylor Farms California, Inc. among the defendants. The case is captioned Bogard v. ABTB Louisville LLC et al., No. 3:26-cv-00607-RGJ.
According to the complaint, Bogard ate at the Taco Bell on Outer Loop multiple times in June and July. He reported falling ill the night of July 11 and, after recognizing symptoms described in news reports about the outbreak, asked his physician for an ova and parasite test. His stool sample was collected July 15 and returned positive on July 16.
The suit details severe symptoms that developed quickly. By the third day he was having as many as 25 bowel movements a day, the complaint says. He experienced painful skin breakdown and blistering, went roughly five days without eating and lost 11 pounds in one week. On July 22, he was so dehydrated his left leg gave out and he was taken to the emergency department at Baptist Health Louisville, where he received intravenous saline, was imaged to rule out stroke and was admitted overnight. The complaint states he remains symptomatic.
“He watched the news, recognized what was happening to him, called his physician’s office and asked for an ova and parasite examination by name,”
The complaint asserts claims of strict product liability, negligence, negligence per se and breach of express and implied warranty, and requests a jury trial. Bogard is represented by Marler Clark, a national food safety law firm, together with Christopher G. Colson, Robert C. Welleford and Jacob P. Buerger of Fowler Bell PLLC in Lexington.
Outbreak scope and local implications
In its public description of the litigation, Marler Clark says it now represents more than 400 people in 20 states in connection with this outbreak. The firm’s filings point to a link between the illnesses and ingredients supplied by Taylor Farms to one or more Taco Bell franchisees. The Louisville case specifically connects the illness to the Outer Loop Taco Bell location.
Health officials typically confirm cyclospora through laboratory testing, but the parasite can be difficult to detect and many cases go unrecognized. In this instance, the plaintiff’s early recognition of the outbreak while watching news coverage prompted his physician to order the specific ova and parasite exam that identified the infection.
- Where: Taco Bell, Outer Loop, Louisville (Jefferson County)
- Patient: Patrick L. Bogard, 68, Jefferson County resident
- Key dates: illness began night of July 11; stool collected July 15; positive July 16; emergency visit July 22; suit filed Aug. 6
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| July 11 | Onset of symptoms (night of the 11th) |
| July 15 | Stool sample collected |
| July 16 | Stool test returned positive for cyclospora |
| July 22 | Emergency department visit and overnight admission |
| Aug. 6 | Federal lawsuit filed in Louisville |
What Louisville residents should know
The complaint and associated statements from the representing law firm underscore two public-health points for local residents: cyclospora infections can cause prolonged, severe gastrointestinal illness and are not always readily diagnosed without targeted testing; and products supplied through broader distribution chains can affect consumers at specific local outlets.
At this time the lawsuit is a civil claim seeking damages; it does not change any public-health guidance. Residents concerned about symptoms consistent with cyclospora — including watery diarrhea, weight loss, abdominal cramping and prolonged illness — should consult a physician. Testing for cyclospora often requires a specific ova and parasite exam that clinicians must order.
The case remains pending in federal court. WE NEWS will continue to follow developments in the litigation and any related public-health announcements affecting Louisville.
