Marine Veteran Left With Severe Brain Injuries After Becoming Seriously Ill Following Restaurant Meal, Lawsuit Claims

OAK BROOK, Ill. — A 44-year-old Marine Corps veteran and retired firefighter has suffered devastating, permanent brain injuries after becoming critically ill following a family meal at an Illinois steakhouse, according to a lawsuit filed on his behalf.

Joe Belgio and his fiancée, Melanie Stayer, were celebrating with family at Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse in Oak Brook in June 2025, shortly after welcoming their daughter. According to the lawsuit, Belgio ate raw oysters during the meal and became seriously ill several days later.

His condition deteriorated dramatically. He suffered cardiac arrest and was deprived of oxygen for several minutes, eventually spending months in a coma.

Doctors later identified bacterial infections including enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) and Plesiomonas shigelloides, according to the lawsuit. His family and attorneys allege that the infections were connected to contaminated oysters served at the restaurant.

A Life Changed Overnight

Before the illness, Belgio had served in the U.S. Marine Corps and later worked as a firefighter in Illinois.

Today, his family says he requires around-the-clock care and has significant cognitive and physical limitations as a result of the brain injury.

His medical expenses have already exceeded $1 million, according to reports, while his family faces the prospect of long-term care.

The family has also launched fundraising efforts to help with the enormous cost of Belgio’s treatment and ongoing care.

Restaurant Denies Responsibility

The lawsuit names Gibsons Steakhouse as well as seafood suppliers involved in providing the oysters.

Gibsons has expressed sympathy for Belgio and his family but denies responsibility, saying its investigation did not find evidence establishing that the restaurant caused his illness. The restaurant also noted that no other similar illnesses had been reported in connection with the meal.

The legal case will therefore have to determine whether the oysters were contaminated, whether the contamination caused Belgio’s illness and whether the restaurant or its suppliers were legally responsible.

Those allegations have not been proven in court.

Questions About Food Safety

The case has drawn renewed attention to the risks associated with eating raw oysters.

Raw shellfish can carry potentially dangerous bacteria, and food-safety experts have long warned that consuming oysters raw carries inherent risks. However, the specific bacteria involved in Belgio’s case and their alleged connection to the restaurant meal remain matters for medical and legal examination.

A separate report has also highlighted food-safety violations at a sister Gibsons location in downtown Chicago, although those inspection issues are separate from the allegations involving Belgio and should not be taken as proof that the Oak Brook restaurant caused his illness.

Family Hopes for Recovery

More than a year after the original meal, Belgio remains hospitalized and faces a future requiring extensive assistance.

For his fiancée and young daughter, the lawsuit is about more than financial compensation. They are seeking answers about how a family celebration could be followed by a medical crisis that permanently changed Belgio’s life.

The legal case remains ongoing, while Belgio’s family continues to raise money for his medical and long-term care.