Chicago Woman Says Wendy’s Cheeseburger Sent Her to the Hospital Twice — Now She’s Suing

A Chicago woman says a Wendy’s double cheeseburger meal left her so sick that she was hospitalized twice and ultimately faced more than $93,000 in medical bills.

Now, 68-year-old Roxie Ellis Douglas is suing the fast-food chain, alleging that a meal she ordered from Wendy’s was contaminated with harmful bacteria and caused a serious foodborne illness.

She Says the Meal Was Delivered in a Sealed Bag

According to a federal lawsuit, Douglas ordered a double cheeseburger and baked potato from a Wendy’s restaurant at 8645 S. Stony Island Ave. in Chicago on August 5, 2025.

The meal was delivered to her home by DoorDash in what the lawsuit describes as a “sealed, unopened bag.” Douglas says she ate the food believing it had been safely prepared.

But the lawsuit alleges that the meal was already contaminated with Campylobacter and other illness-producing bacteria when it left Wendy’s control.

Her Medical Ordeal Began the Next Day

Douglas claims she became seriously ill after eating the meal, suffering from a campylobacter intestinal infection, acute infectious colitis, leukocytosis, dehydration, gastroenteritis and hypokalemia, or dangerously low potassium levels, associated with severe diarrhea.

The next day, she required emergency medical treatment. Court documents show she was transported by EMS to Advocate Trinity Hospital, where she spent three days receiving inpatient care.

About a week later, she was hospitalized again for another five days.

According to medical expense records filed with the lawsuit, Douglas has accumulated $93,578.24 in healthcare costs related to the illness. Those expenses include ambulance transportation, two hospital stays and a colonoscopy performed in January 2026.

She Is Now Suing Wendy’s

Douglas filed her lawsuit on July 30, 2026. The case was later moved to federal court in Chicago.

The lawsuit accuses Wendy’s of strict product liability, negligence and breach of warranty of wholesomeness. It alleges that the restaurant failed to properly maintain sanitary conditions and failed to use safe food storage, preparation and handling practices.

The complaint also alleges that Wendy’s failed to eliminate harmful bacteria from the food and failed to ensure that the meal was safe for human consumption.

Douglas is seeking damages in excess of the minimum amount required for the case to proceed in federal court.

Wendy’s Has Not Yet Responded to the Allegations

It is important to note that Douglas’ claims remain allegations in an ongoing lawsuit. A court has not determined that Wendy’s caused her illness.

Wendy’s has sought to have the case heard in federal court, but the company had not publicly filed a formal response addressing the allegations at the time of the latest reports. Multiple news outlets have also reported that Wendy’s had not provided a public comment on the case.

The lawsuit is now moving forward in federal court.

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