Portland Woman Sues Trader Joe's Over Alleged Rubber Glove Fingertip in Juice
A Portland woman has filed a lawsuit against Trader Joe's, claiming she discovered a rubber glove fingertip in a bottle of the grocer's orange juice and may have swallowed a human fingertip while drinking it. Julee O'Neil is seeking $10,000 in damages, alleging the incident caused her physical distress and emotional concern.
Discovery of the Alleged Contaminant
According to court documents obtained by OregonLive, O'Neil purchased a 52-ounce bottle of Trader Joe's brand juice from a store in the Hollywood neighborhood of Portland on June 19, 2025. As she consumed the beverage, she noticed what she initially believed to be a large chunk of pulp floating in the liquid. Upon retrieving the object, she realized it was part of a rubber glove.
The lawsuit states, "She was and is concerned that the human hand that was in the tip of the glove was also severed and was part of the pulp she had been periodically drinking." O'Neil reported gagging, experiencing a burning sensation in her mouth, and feeling nauseated, prompting her to visit a nearby clinic for medical attention.
Legal Action and Settlement Attempt
More than 30 days before filing her complaint, O'Neil sent a written notice to Trader Joe's requesting a $10,000 settlement. However, according to Fox 12, which also reviewed the court filing, the supermarket did not pay the requested amount, leading to the lawsuit being filed on Monday.
Trader Joe's has denied all allegations in the case, as well as any liability or wrongdoing. The Independent has reached out to Trader Joe's and the law firm Furniss, Shearer & Leineweber for comment, but no response has been provided at this time.
Background: Previous Legal Settlement
This development follows a separate legal battle in which Trader Joe's agreed to a $7.4 million settlement. According to Los Angeles County Superior Court documents, a customer alleged in 2019 that the grocer printed 10 digits of customers' debit and credit card numbers on point-of-sale receipts, violating the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACTA).
FACTA regulations permit only the last 5 digits of a card number to be displayed on receipts. The mistake was found to have impacted 757,663 unique class member card numbers. The settlement includes approximately half of the $7.4 million allocated for attorney fees, court-related costs, and payments to three law firms, each receiving one-third of a $2.5 million payout.
Affected individuals can submit a claim for a portion of the settlement, object to it, opt out, or take no action. A court hearing is scheduled for August 10 to approve the settlement figure, as per the records.
This case highlights ongoing consumer safety and legal challenges facing retailers, with Trader Joe's now confronting multiple high-profile lawsuits in a short timeframe.
