San Antonio woman sues over flesh-eating screwworms in Popeyes rice and beans

File photo of a Popeyes. A San Antonio woman who ate at a local Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen is suing the fast-food chain after she claims she unknowingly ingested flesh-eating New World screwworms after eatings its rice and beans. less File photo of a Popeyes. A San Antonio woman who ate at a local Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen is suing the fast-food chain after she claims she unknowingly ingested flesh-eating New World screwworms after eatings ... more Photo: James Nielsen /Houston Chronicle Photo: James Nielsen /Houston Chronicle Image 1 of / 51 Caption Close San Antonio woman sues over flesh-eating screwworms in Popeyes rice and beans 1 / 51 Back to Gallery

A San Antonio woman has sued Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen and its local franchisee saying the fast-food chain served her rice and beans that had flesh-eating screwworms.

Karen Goode says in her lawsuit, filed Tuesday in Bexar County district court, that the screwworms entered her digestive tract and laid eggs, which became embedded in the interior lining of her small intestine. When the eggs hatched, they infested her body and began to eat her “alive from the inside-out.”

Patrick Stolmeier, Goode’s San Antonio lawyer, said she became ill and couldn’t work. As a result, she lost her business, her house and vehicles, he said.

Goode seeks more than $1 million in damages from Atlanta-based Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen Inc. and Sugarland’s Z&H Foods Inc., the chain’s local franchisee.

Renee Kopowski, a Popeyes spokeswoman, said the franchisee has been working with Goode for more than a year "to address her concerns." Kopowski declined to discuss the details of the litigation. The franchisee couldn't immediately be reached.

"We put every precaution in place in the restaurants to meet the highest food safety standards," Kopowski said. "We take it extremely serious when a guest complains."

Click here for more information on ExpressNews.com or turn to Saturday’s newspaper to read more about the lawsuit.

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