Lawsuit Alleges American Deli Food Caused Severe Illness, Acute Kidney Failure, And Eight-day Hospitalization

DeKalb County complaint seeks compensatory and punitive damages

ATLANTA - Sept. 14, 2026 - PRLog -- Eloise Lewis, a long term Dekalb county resident, has brought claims against Leo Trejo Olvera, LLC, doing business as American Deli, arising from food she allegedly purchased at the American Deli located at 2801 Candler Road, Suite 18, in Decatur.

According to the complaint, Ms. Lewis purchased and ate chicken tenders and fries from the restaurant on October 16, 2025. The lawsuit alleges that she developed severe gastrointestinal symptoms shortly afterward and that her condition rapidly became a medical emergency.

Ms. Lewis was admitted to Emory Decatur Hospital on October 18, 2025, diagnosed and treated for acute food born illness,  and remained hospitalized through October 26, 2025. Her treatment included emergency evaluation, laboratory testing, imaging, intravenous hydration, medications, invasive procedures, and dialysis-related renal intervention, including placement of a central venous catheter.

The foodborne illness caused acute kidney failure and materially aggravated her renal condition, increasing the severity of her injuries and the risk of future renal complications. Her medical expenses total approximately $55,120, according to the complaint, not including future medical expenses or other claimed damages.

The lawsuit further alleges that, before Ms. Lewis became ill, the restaurant had been the subject of health-department inspections, complaints, and public-health documentation reflecting unsanitary conditions, contamination risks, rodent activity, pest droppings, and unsafe food-preparation conditions. These matters placed the restaurant on notice of contamination risks, but it failed to adequately inspect, correct, remediate, and prevent the unsafe conditions.

The complaint asserts claims for negligence, sale of unwholesome provisions and negligence per se, breach of the implied warranty of merchantability and fitness for human consumption, and punitive damages. Ms. Lewis seeks recovery for medical expenses, pain and suffering, emotional distress, aggravation of a preexisting condition, diminished quality of life, and other damages to be determined by a jury.

"Restaurants entrusted with serving food to the public must take sanitation and contamination risks seriously," said Jonathan W. Johnson, counsel for Ms. Lewis. "This lawsuit seeks accountability for the devastating harm Ms. Lewis alleges she suffered and aims to reinforce the importance of protecting every customer who relies on a restaurant to provide food that is safe to eat."

The action is captioned Eloise Lewis v. Leo Trejo Olvera, LLC  d/b/a American Deli and  American Deli International and is brought in the State Court of DeKalb County, Georgia. Civil Action File No..26A06480.

MEDIA CONTACT

Jonathan W. Johnson | Johnson W. Johnson, LLC.
jonathanjohnsonatlantalawyer.com | [email protected]



Source: Jonathan W.Johnson LLC

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