Oregon Nurse Files $1 Million Lawsuit Over Rotisserie Chicken Burn

An Oregon woman has filed a $1 million lawsuit against Fred Meyer supermarket, alleging that she suffered severe burns and infection after her skin melted onto a heated rotisserie chicken display. The plaintiff, Angela Steffen, a registered nurse, visited a Fred Meyer store in Eugene, Oregon, in September 2024.

According to the lawsuit filed on September 10, 2026, Steffen accidentally touched the heated metal frame of the rotisserie chicken display. Her skin reportedly adhered to the frame, and when she pulled her hand away, a portion of her skin was torn off. Steffen's attorney, Liz Walling, described the incident, stating, "Her skin melted to the frame, essentially gluing her hand to the metal with her own skin. When she yanked her hand away, her skin was torn off leaving a visible chunk of her skin on the metal."

Steffen was reportedly offered a Band-Aid by a deli worker who witnessed the incident. The employee allegedly commented that "happens to a lot of people." The lawsuit claims that Fred Meyer failed to install a barrier or guard around the "dangerously hot metal light fixture" or provide a warning sign.

Following the burn, Steffen initially treated the injury herself with wound-care supplies. However, she awoke the next day in severe pain and sought treatment at an urgent care clinic, where she was prescribed antibiotics. Her condition reportedly worsened over the following days, leading to intense pain and swelling in her left hand. Before seeking emergency care, Steffen described feeling "on the verge of passing out."

Court records indicate that Steffen experienced an infection, permanent scarring, nerve damage, and weakness in her left hand as a result of the third-degree burn. The lawsuit alleges that Steffen incurred approximately $11,000 in medical expenses and lost wages for the two weeks she was unable to work. Walling noted that Steffen's profession requires the use of both hands in patient care.

Steffen is seeking up to $900,000 for the pain and suffering she endured, in addition to $50,000 for future medical costs. Walling stated, "The jury will get to determine what Ms. Steffen’s noneconomic damages are considering the nightmare Fred Meyer put her through for something that should have been a mundane task, picking up a rotisserie chicken for dinner on your way home from work."

The lawsuit, filed in Multnomah County Circuit Court, includes a demand for a jury trial. Fred Meyer has not yet formally responded to the legal action. It remains unclear if other customers have previously been injured by the rotisserie chicken display.