A lawsuit was filed today against Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc., in San Diego County Superior Court for the recent hepatitis A outbreak linked to a La Mesa Chipotle restaurant.  Terry Wesley, the plaintiff, became infected with hepatitis A after eating in March and April at the Chipotle Grill on Fletcher Parkway in La Mesa, California.  Mr. Wesley is represented by Marler Clark, a Seattle law firm dedicated to representing victims of food borne illness, and Keeney, Waite, & Stevens, a San Diego area firm.

William Marler, national expert in food borne illness litigation and accomplished personal injury lawyer, will speak at the University of Minnesota College of Agriculture, Food, and Environmental Sciences on Tuesday, May 6 at 3:00 PM.  He is a guest lecturer in the Food: Safety, Risk, and Technology class taught by distinguished teaching professor Dr. Ted Labuza.

A report released by the influential Pew Commission yesterday on Industrial Farm Animal Production could result in chickens and cows receiving more humane treatment.  Pew’s recommendations, based on a two-year study, would eliminate practices standard on “factory farms”.  In California, a pending anti-cruelty initiative on the ballot would address the same abuses. 

William Marler, managing partner of Seattle-based Marler Clark, has been selected for a prestigious law award recognizing his work on behalf of a safer food supply.  The Washington State Trial Lawyers Association (WSTLA) has selected him for the 2008 Public Justice Award, which is bestowed upon “an individual or organization whose efforts, courage, litigation, or innovative work results in the creation of a more just society”.  The award will be presented to Mr. Marler at the May 1, 2008 Law Day Dinner. 

William Marler, managing partner of Seattle-based Marler Clark, has been selected for two prestigious law awards.  The Washington State Trial Lawyers Association (WSTLA) has selected him for the 2008 Public Justice Award, and the King County Bar Association (KCBA) has given him the 2008 Outstanding Lawyer Award.

San Diego is the latest in a series out outbreaks and exposure to hepatitis A via restaurant food and/or infected workers.  County health officials there say they are investigating twelve cases of hepatitis A linked to a Chipotle Mexican Grill in La Mesa.

SEATTLE, WA Residents of Maine and Minnesota are confirmed infected with Salmonella Agona, the strain of Salmonella identified in the Malt-O-Meal recall, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced that at least 14 other states are reporting illnesses.  Two victims have been hospitalized in Maine, and more than 23 cases are under investigation by the Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The US Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is hosting a public meeting to discuss the challenges and proposed solutions for reducing the incidence of E. coli O157:H7 and other Shiga toxin producing E. coli in raw beef.  The public meeting will be held on Wednesday, April 9, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Thursday, April 10, from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Georgetown, 2101 Wisconsin Ave., NW, Washington, DC.  The meeting will feature various presentations and panel discussions by FSIS officials, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, representatives from industry and consumer groups, as well as by William Marler, a prominent food-borne illness attorney whose firm represents those sickened by the pathogen. 

Few subjects draw more immediate attention or concern than the safety of the food we eat, and Seattle University School of Law will host an in-depth conference to address the issue. “Who’s Minding the Store: The Current State of Food Safety and How It Can Be Improved,” a conference organized and sponsored by Marler Clark and Stoel Rives, will take place April 11 and 12 at Sullivan Hall on the Seattle University campus. 

An E. coli lawsuit was filed today against Rochester Meat Company in Wisconsin Federal District Court. The lawsuit, which stems from an E. coli outbreak traced to Rochester Meat Company’s ground beef products in late 2007 and early 2008, was filed on behalf of a Fitchburg, Wisconsin family. The family is represented by Marler Clark, the Seattle law firm nationally recognized for its efforts on behalf of victims of foodborne illness.

Marler Clark will file a lawsuit Thursday against Castleberry’s Food Co., the company that recalled tens of millions of pounds of canned meat products sold under over 80 different labels after they were identified as the source of a botulism outbreak in July, 2007. The lawsuit was filed in Federal District Court for the Northern District of Ohio on behalf a New London, Ohio resident who became ill with botulism poisoning after consuming Castleberry’s Chili Sauce in late June of 2007.

The Marler Clark network of food poisoning informational Web sites, which first appeared online in 1998, recently received a makeover. The sites, which were originally put online to provide Internet users with basic information about the illnesses caused by such foodborne pathogens as E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella, and Hepatitis A, have increased in breadth over the years to include information about complications caused by foodborne pathogens: hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), reactive arthritis (Reiter’s Syndrome), and Guillain-Barre syndrome.

Public health officials in Washington, DC, California, and Wisconsin are playing a dangerous game with American consumers by refusing to reveal the specific stores or restaurants that may have served meat contaminated by toxic E. coli, says the Seattle lawyer who represents victims of food-borne illness.

A lawsuit was filed today against ConAgra, the company whose Banquet pot pies were identified as the source of a Salmonella outbreak in October. The lawsuit was filed in Federal District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin on behalf of Malone, Wisconsin, resident Eric Mand, who ate a Banquet pot pie in September and became ill with a Salmonella infection. Mr. Mand is represented by Marler Clark, the Seattle law firm dedicated to representing victims of foodborne illness. 

Marler Clark filed a sixth lawsuit against ConAgra today on behalf of a victim of the Banquet pot pie Salmonella outbreak that sickened hundreds. The lawsuit was filed in Yakima County Superior Court on behalf of Yakima resident Renee Barnes, who became ill with a Salmonella infection in May, 2007 after consuming a Banquet pot pie manufactured by ConAgra.

A Pasco, Washington man who became ill with Salmonella after eating a Banquet pot pie in September filed a lawsuit against ConAgra, the food manufacturer whose Banquet pot pies were recalled in October after they were identified as the source of a nationwide Salmonella outbreak. The lawsuit was filed in United States District Court for the Eastern District of Washington in Spokane by the Seattle law firm Marler Clark.

Marler Clark filed the firm’s second E. coli lawsuit against Cargill today on behalf of Elk River, Minnesota, residents John and Barb Reber and their son, Scott, who became ill with an E. coli infection and was hospitalized for three days after eating a hamburger made from a Cargill ground beef patty. This lawsuit was filed in Sherburne County District Court

Marler Clark filed a lawsuit today against ConAgra, the company whose Banquet and store-brand chicken and turkey pot pies were identified as the source of a nationwide Salmonella outbreak in September. The lawsuit was filed in Grand Traverse County Superior Court on behalf of Traverse City resident David Small. 

A lawsuit was filed today against ConAgra, the company whose Banquet chicken and turkey pot pies were identified as the source of a nationwide Salmonella outbreak. The lawsuit was filed Snohomish County Superior Court on behalf of Snohomish County resident Eric Robertson, whose 2-year-old daughter, Rebecca, became ill with a Salmonella infection after eating a Banquet pot pie. 

SEATTLE, WA (October 17, 2007) – A lawsuit seeking punitive damages was filed today against Topps, the New Jersey beef supplier that recalled nearly a year’s supply of frozen ground beef patties after its products were identified as the source of an E. coli outbreak in September. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Groton, New York, residents Keith and Kristin Goodwin and their 8-year-old son, Lucas, in Tompkins County Supreme Court by Seattle-based Marler Clark and Rochester-based Underberg & Kessler

Bill Marler, the Seattle attorney who has dedicated his law practice to representing victims of E. coli and other foodborne illness outbreaks, called today on Cargill to front medical costs for victims of an E. coli outbreak traced to the company’s frozen ground beef patties. Victims of the outbreak include families of children who have been hospitalized in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Tennessee, and North Carolina.

Marler Clark filed an E. coli lin Minnesota against Cargill Meat Solutions Corporation, the meat company whose frozen ground beef products were identified as the source of an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak in September and October. The lawsuit was filed in Dakota County District Court on behalf of Dakota County residents Eric and Jennifer Gustafson and their two children, Callie and Carson, who both suffered E. coli infections after eating Cargill ground beef patties at a barbecue in September. Callie’s E. coli infection led to hemolytic uremic syndrome, and she was hospitalized for seven days. 

Marler Clark filed a lawsuit today against ConAgra, whose Banquet and store-brand pot pies were identified as the source of a nation-wide Salmonella outbreak that has caused at least 152 confirmed cases of Salmonellosis and 20 hospitalizations. The lawsuit was filed in Federal District Court for the State of Minnesota (case no. 07-4220) on behalf of Sauk Rapids, Minnesota, residents Joshua and Amy Reinert and their daughter, Isabelle, who will be two years old in December.

William Marler called on ConAgra this morning “to do the right thing for its customers and to immediately recall all of its Banquet Pot Pies without question and without hesitation.” According to a press release this morning, the CDC announced, “The outbreak appears to be ongoing.” Marler added, “As of last night these products were still on store shelves and in fact were on sale – 2 for $1.00. ConAgra, the USDA and all health authorities, should put people’s safety above sales.”

A lawsuit was filed today against Topps Meat Company, the meat producer whose ground beef products have been identified as the source of an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak, and who expanded a ground beef recall to include 21.7 million pounds of meat over the weekend. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Albany County, New York, residents Robert and Catherine McDonald and their young daughter, who became ill with an E. coli O157:H7 infection and was hospitalized after eating a hamburger made of Topps Meats ground beef on August 17th. The McDonald family is represented by the Seattle law firm, Marler Clark, and the upstate New York law firm Underberg & Kessler.

Bill Marler, food safety advocate and E. coli attorney, whose Seattle law firm, Marler Clark, has been contacted by four victims of the E. coli outbreak traced to the Topps 21,700,000 pound hamburger recall, called today on Topps to pay the medical bills and lost wages of all individuals who became ill with E. coli infections as part of the outbreak. “We know that at least twenty-five people became ill with E. coli infections after eating Topps hamburger,” Marler said. “The cost of treating victims of E. coli infections can run in the tens of thousands of dollars, or in a severe case, even in the hundreds of thousands of dollars,” Marler continued. “These families need Topps to do more than promise to cooperate in the investigation into this outbreak. They need to know that Topps intends to fulfill its corporate responsibility by looking out for its customers.”

Earlier this year J. Patrick Boyle, President and Chief Executive of the American Meat Institute, wrote in part in the New York Times: “Since 1999, the incidence of E. coli in ground beef samples tested by the Agriculture Department has declined by 80 percent to a fraction of a percent, a level once thought impossible.”

“At the time I agreed with Mr. Boyle,” said William Marler. “In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, E. coli outbreaks linked to tainted meat declined by 42 percent. But something has changed, and it has not changed for the better.”

The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service yesterday announced that Topps Meat Company of Elizabeth, New Jersey, was recalling 331,582 pounds of frozen ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7. The recall was prompted by a combined New York Department of Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention investigation into an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak that was determined to have been caused by consumption of Topps ground beef products.

A lawsuit was filed today against Interstate Meats, Inc., the Clackamas, Oregon meat producer whose ground beef products were identified as the source of an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak among Washington, Oregon, and Idaho residents in July and August. The lawsuit was filed in Federal District Court for the Western District of Washington by Marler Clark on behalf of a King County resident who became ill with an E. coli O157:H7 infection and was hospitalized for three days after eating Interstate Meats ground beef.

Food safety attorney Bill Marler spoke out from across the globe today after hearing that bagged spinach has once again been recalled for contamination with a potentially deadly foodborne pathogen. Nearly a year after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed 205 illnesses and three deaths associated with consumption of E. coli O157:H7-contaminated Dole-brand bagged spinach, Metz Fresh of King City, California, recalled 8,118 cases of spinach for potential Salmonella contamination.

Bill Marler, an attorney who has represented thousands of victims of foodborne illness outbreaks, including victims of botulism poisoning, called on Castleberry’s, the company whose chili and dog food products were recalled last month due to contamination with Clostridium botulinum, to pay all botulism outbreak victims’ medical bills today.

The owners of Pars Cove Persian Cuisine were named as the defendant in two more lawsuits filed today in Cook County Circuit Court in Chicago. The lawsuits were filed on behalf of three plaintiffs all of whom became ill with Salmonella infections days after eating at the Pars Cove booth at the Taste of Chicago festival. All plaintiffs are represented by Marler Clark LLP, a Seattle-based law firm.

Marler Clark filed a lawsuit today against Iran Echo International Corp., the owner of the Pars Cove Persian Cuisine booth that was identified as the source of a large Salmonella outbreak at this year’s Taste of Chicago festival. The lawsuit was filed in Cook County Circuit Court on behalf of Kenneth and Donna Searcy, a Romeoville, Illinois, couple who ate food from the Pars Cove Taste of Chicago booth on July 2, and subsequently became ill with Salmonellosis.

On Wednesday July 18, 2007, the Food and Drug Administration issued a warning to consumers about the risk of botulism poisoning from hot dog chili sauce marketed under a variety of brand names. The warning came after two Texas children and an Indiana couple who ate these products became ill with botulism and were hospitalized.

Classic symptoms of botulism include double vision, blurred vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing, dry mouth, and muscle weakness. Infants with botulism appear lethargic, feed poorly, are constipated, and have a weak cry and poor muscle tone. These are all symptoms of the muscle paralysis caused by the bacterial toxin. 

Marler Clark filed a second lawsuit against Robert’s American Gourmet Food, Inc. today in Albany County Supreme Court in New York. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Voorheesville, New York residents Patrick and Elex Scheels and two of their 20-month-old triplets who became ill with Salmonella Wandsworth infections after consuming Veggie Booty in April. 

A lawsuit was filed today in Federal District Court for the Western District of New York against Robert’s American Gourmet, the manufacturer of Veggie Booty, the snack food that was recalled on June 28 after public health officials identified the product as the source of a nationwide Salmonella outbreak. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Valparaiso, Indiana, residents David and Ashlee Allen, whose 18-month-old son, Xavier, became ill with a severe Salmonella infection after eating Salmonella-contaminated Veggie Booty in May, and continues to suffer from the effects of Salmonella. 

William Marler, a food safety advocate and attorney whose Seattle law firm, Marler Clark, has been contacted by five victims of a Salmonella outbreak traced to the consumption of Veggie Booty snack food, which is marketed by Robert’s American Gourmet, of Sea Cliff, New York, today called on the manufacturer to pay the medical bills of all individuals who became ill with Salmonella infections as part of the outbreak. 

Marler Clark filed a lawsuit against the Meat Market, a Fresno, California, business that was identified as the source of an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak in May. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of an 80-year-old Fresno resident who became ill with an E. coli O157:H7 infection and was hospitalized for 15 days with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a complication of E. coli infection that caused his kidneys to fail, after eating “tri-tip” purchased from the Meat Market and served at a graduation party.

The first lawsuit stemming from an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak traced to ground beef produced by United Food Group, Inc. (UFG) was filed yesterday in Riverside County Superior Court, in California. The lawsuit was filed against UFG by Seattle-based Marler Clark and San Diego-based Gordon and Holmes on behalf of a Hemet, California, couple whose four-year-old daughter became ill with an E. coli infection and was hospitalized with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) after eating UFG ground beef. 

A lawsuit was filed today against PM Beef Holdings, LLC and Lund Food Holdings, Inc., the producer and retailer who sold E. coli-contaminated ground beef traced to an outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 illnesses in Minnesota and Wisconsin residents in April, 2007. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Anne Herwig, a Minneapolis, Minnesota, resident who became ill with an E. coli O157:H7 infection and was hospitalized after eating contaminated ground beef in April. Ms. Herwig is represented by Marler Clark, a Seattle law firm with a long track record of successfully representing victims of foodborne illness.

Marler Clark has been retained by victims of many recent E. coli outbreaks, and has been contacted by several more who are seeking legal representation. Bill Marler, managing partner of Marler Clark, commented on the recent outbreaks: “This up-tick in E. coli cases traced to meat products is certainly cause for concern. I hope we’re not seeing a reversal in all the progress that has been made in recent years to curb E. coli contamination in meat processing plants.”

Two victims of the 2005 E. coli outbreak traced to a petting zoo at the Florida Strawberry Festival resolved claims brought against the festival last week. Both victims, a woman and a young child, suffered hemolytic uremic syndrome and required extensive medical treatment, including dialysis, after contracting E. coli O157:H7 at the 2005 Florida Strawberry Festival. 

Marler Clark filed a class action lawsuit against ConAgra, the manufacturer of Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butter that was traced as the source of a nationwide Salmonella outbreak, on Tuesday, February 20, 2007. The class action lawsuit was filed on behalf of all individuals who became ill with symptoms of Salmonella infections, but were not hospitalized as a result of their infections, and who have strong evidence of consumption of Salmonella-contaminated peanut butter and a resulting Salmonella infection. The class action lawsuit follows on the heels of two lawsuits Marler Clark filed on Friday, February 16, 2007. 

A Salmonella lawsuit was filed Friday in Missouri against ConAgra, the Omaha, Nebraska-based food company whose Georgia peanut butter plant was traced as the source of a Salmonella outbreak that sickened hundreds. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of a Buchannan County, Missouri, couple and their two children. The family is represented by Seattle-based Marler Clark, the Seattle law firm that has represented thousands of victims of foodborne illness outbreaks, and Springfield, Missouri-based Aleshire, Robb & Sivils. 

A New York family filed suit against ConAgra this afternoon in United States District Court for the Western District of New York. The lawsuit was filed by Marler Clark, the Seattle law firm that filed a similar lawsuit on behalf of a Missouri family early Friday, and Rochester, New York, attorney Paul Nunes. Plaintiffs in the lawsuit are Nicolas Avalone and Tracy Hubright of Ontario, New York. 

A class action lawsuit will be filed on January 26th against Houlihan’s, the Geneva, Illinois, restaurant where a food worker was diagnosed with hepatitis A. The lawsuit will be filed in Kane County Circuit Court on behalf of named plaintiff Rebecca Johnson, a Genoa, Illinois, resident who dined at Houlihan’s with her family on January 19, 2007, and all other persons who were exposed to the hepatitis A virus at Houlihan’s between January 8 and January 19, and were forced to receive Immune Globulin shots to prevent becoming ill with hepatitis A. 

Marler Clark filed its third lawsuit on behalf of a victim of last year’s E. coli O157:H7 outbreak traced to Taco John’s restaurants in Iowa and Minnesota. The lawsuit was filed against Taco John’s in Minnesota state court in Albert Lea on behalf of an Albert Lea resident and her young son who was one of at least 33 Minnesota residents who became ill with E. coli infections after eating contaminated food at Taco John’s restaurants in late November and early December, 2006. 

An Opinion-Editorial regarding the nation’s food supply, written by Bill Marler after a cow in Washington State tested positive for Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy “BSE,” or “Mad Cow” Disease.

Another E. coli lawsuit was filed against Taco Bell by Marler Clark in New York. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of a Clinton, New York, resident who became ill with an E. coli infection and was hospitalized for four days after eating E. coli-contaminated food at Taco Bell. 

William Marler called on Taco John’s to pay the medical bills of all individuals who became ill with E. coli infections as part of the outbreak. “We know that at least 26 people were hospitalized during this outbreak,” Marler said. “Some families are already facing bills in the tens of thousands of dollars. It’s only right that Taco John’s should step up and pay all victims’ medical bills.”

Marler Clark filed its second lawsuit against Taco John’s on behalf of a victim of the recent E. coli O157:H7 outbreak that was traced to contaminated lettuce served at Taco John’s restaurants in Iowa and Minnesota. The lawsuit was filed in Federal District Court for the Northern District of Iowa on behalf of a Waterloo, Iowa, resident. 

Taco John’s was sued Thursday in Federal District Court for the Northern District of Iowa over an E. coli outbreak at its Cedar Rapids, Iowa location. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of a Cedar Falls couple whose nine-year-old daughter is hospitalized with an E. coli infection and hemolytic uremic syndrome. 

Marler Clark filed its second lawsuit in the Taco Bell E. coli outbreak Monday afternoon in New York Federal Court for the Northern District of New York. The lawsuit names Yum! Brands, the parent company of Taco Bell, and Ready Pac Produce Inc., the company that packaged and distributed fresh produce to Taco Bell restaurants. 

An E. coli lawsuit was filed today on behalf of a Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, resident who became ill with an E. coli O157:H7 infection after eating food from a Taco Bell restaurant. The lawsuit was filed against Yum! Brands, the parent company of Taco Bell, in United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania by Marler Clark. 

William Marler called on Taco Bell and its parent company, Yum! Brands, Inc., “to do the right thing and immediately pay the medical bills for the victims of this most recent E. coli O157:H7 outbreak traced Taco Bell restaurants in New York and New Jersey.” Marler noted that in other outbreak-situations companies such as Dole, Jack in the Box, Odwalla, Chi-Chi’s and Sheetz advanced medical costs for outbreak victims whose illnesses were traced to their food products.

An E. coli O157:H7 outbreak in New Jersey has sickened at least 19 people, most of whom reported eating at New Jersey Taco Bell restaurants in the days before they became ill with symptoms of E. coli infections. The victims range in age from one to 23 years old. Seven remain hospitalized, two with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a complication of E. coli infection.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced today that at least 183 people in 18 states had been confirmed ill with Salmonellosis as part of a nation-wide outbreak of Salmonella typhimurium infections that has been traced to contaminated tomatoes. Twenty-two people were hospitalized during the outbreak, which peaked in September and is now over.

Marler Clark filed a lawsuit on behalf of the estate of an 81-year-old Nebraska resident who died after suffering complications of an E. coli O157:H7 infection traced to contaminated spinach. “John Doe Farms” is named as a defendant, along with Dole Food Company, Natural Selections Foods, and No Frills Supermarkets. 

William Marler, a nationally-recognized food safety advocate and attorney, today called on the spinach industry “to do the right thing and immediately pay the medical bills for the victims of this most recent outbreak traced to E. coli-contaminated spinach.” Marler noted that, in other large outbreaks, companies such as Jack in the Box, Odwalla, Chi-Chi’s and Sheetz advanced medical costs for outbreak victims whose illnesses were traced to their food products.

Marler Clark has retained the Buffalo-Rochester based law firm Underberg & Kessler to assist them with litigation resulting from the E. coli O157:H7 outbreak traced to bagged spinach. Marler Clark has filed lawsuits on behalf of Wisconsin, Oregon, and Utah residents, and is currently investigating claims on behalf of New York residents who have contacted the firm in regards to potential legal claims stemming from the outbreak.

On Monday, Seattle-based Marler Clark will file another lawsuit on behalf of a victim of the recent E. coli O157:H7 outbreak traced to contaminated spinach. The lawsuit will be filed against Natural Selection Foods, LLC and National Selection Foods

A Milwaukee family filed suit against Dole today in United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. The lawsuit was filed by Marler Clark, the Seattle law firm that filed a similar lawsuit on behalf of an Oregon woman on Thursday

Marler Clark filed a lawsuit against Dole in United States District Court for the District of Oregon. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Gwyn Wellborn, a Salem, Oregon woman who became ill with an E. coli O157:H7 infection after eating Dole brand baby spinach. 

Marler Clark filed a lawsuit against Filiberto’s, the Arizona restaurant chain whose restaurant located at 3446 University Avenue in San Diego was traced as the source of a food poisoning outbreak in late August, 2006. The lawsuit was filed in San Diego County Superior Court on behalf of Nicole Lewis, a San Diego resident who ate at the restaurant and subsequently became ill with Shigellosis, an illness caused by ingestion of the Shigella bacterium. 

Marler Clark filed a lawsuit against Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., the company whose Greenwood, Indiana, store was the source of a Salmonella outbreak between May and August, 2006. The lawsuit was filed in Johnson County Superior Court on behalf of Ryan Merritt, a Greenwood resident whose son became violently ill and was hospitalized after consuming foods purchased at the Wal-Mart deli. 

The Chattanooga-Hamilton County Health Department reported that Ryan’s Restaurant in Hixson, Tennessee, was the potential source of an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak in the Tennessee Valley earlier this summer. Seven of eight individuals who became ill with E. coli O157:H7 infections as part of the outbreak reported eating at the restaurant, located at 5104 Hixson Pike, between July 8 and July 20. Four children from one family all became ill, with at least one child needing supportive care when she developed hemolytic uremic syndrome.

Marler Clark filed an E. coli lawsuit against Wendy’s, the Dublin, Ohio-based restaurant chain whose North Ogden, Utah, restaurant was traced as the source of an E. coli O121:H19 outbreak in late June, 2006. The complaint, which was filed in Weber County Superior Court, seeks compensation for the family’s significant medical-related expenses, economic losses, pain and suffering, and emotional distress. 

The Dare County, North Carolina Department of Public Health issued a warning to all patrons who ate at the Player’s Grille at Nags Head Golf Links on July 14 and 18, 2006. A restaurant employee who worked at the Player’s Grille on those days was recently diagnosed with hepatitis A, a virus that can lead to liver failure. Because the employee was infectious while working, the Dare County Health Department is encouraging all people who ate at the restaurant on July 14 and 18 to receive Immune globulin injections to prevent hepatitis A infection.

A class action lawsuit filed against the State of New York was certified today. The class certification ruling allows all persons who were damaged as a result of the Cryptosporidium outbreak at the Seneca Lake State Park Spraypark in 2005 to join the class and receive compensation for their injuries and economic damages. The motion requesting certification of the class was filed in December of 2005.

An E. coli O157:H7 outbreak has been traced to a Sidney, Nebraska, day care center. At least four children between the ages of nine and 18 months who were being cared for in the Blues Clues Room at Here Wee Grow day care center in Sidney have become ill with E. coli infection. http://www.about-ecoli.com provides information related to the symptoms and risks associated with E. coli O157:H7 infection, how E. coli is detected, possible ways to prevent infection, and recent news associated with outbreaks. 

Marler Clark filed three lawsuits Tuesday against the Fern Hill Country Club, the caterer whose pastries were traced as the source of a Salmonella outbreak among attendees at receptions held at the Macomb County Community College Performing Arts Center following two Donny Osmond concerts in April, 2005. 

An E. coli O157:H7 outbreak has been traced to a Macon County, Tennessee, day care center. The Tennessee Department of Health reported that nine children became ill with E. coli infections, after being exposed to an ill child at Paulette’s Group Day Care Home. Two of the children were admitted to Children’s Hospital after the E. coli bacteria caused their kidneys to shut down.

A hepatitis A outbreak was traced to Sharky’s restaurant in Tillamook, Oregon. Marler Clark encouraged residents of Tillamook County to be aware of the symptoms of hepatitis A infection and stressed the importance of proper hygiene in the prevention of the further spread of illness. 

Bill Marler is in Minneapolis, finalizing settlements from the Dole E. coli O157:H7 outbreak, and investigating a Salmonella outbreak traced to an Uptown Minneapolis restaurant. At least 20 people became ill after eating at Cafe Barbette on June 5th and 6th. 

An E. coli O157:H7 outbreak in Lawrence County, Missouri, was suspected after one Monett resident was confirmed positive with E. coli O157:H7 infection, and five others exhibited symptoms of the bacterial infection. A public health investigation was underway, and Marler Clark encouraged individuals to take precautions to prevent the further spread of illness.

Marler Clark filed a lawsuit on behalf of an Ingham County, Michigan, woman who was one of at least 360 people sickened as part of a foodborne illness outbreak that was traced to the Bravo Italian Cucina in Lansing, Michigan in early May, 2006. 

The Ingham County Health Department has traced at least 200 illnesses to a Lansing Township restaurant. Customers who ate at Bravo Italian Kitchen in Eastwood Towne Center in early May have become ill with an apparent foodborne illness.

A preliminary investigation report released by the Ohio Department of Health pointed to contaminated fruit served at seven catered events in the Toledo area as the source of an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak that sickened 14 people and killed one woman last September. Two people developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a complication of E. coli infection that can lead to organ failure, central nervous system impairment, and death. 

A norovirus outbreak at a retirement center in Vancouver, Washington, sickened over 40 people, and left two people dead. The Norovirus causes severe gastrointestinal symptoms, and is especially dangerous for the elderly. 

Attorneys from Marler Clark, Underberg & Kessler, and Dreyer Boyajian will appear before the State of New York Court of Claims in Syracuse on Monday, March 20th, at 10:00 am to argue a motion in favor of the certification of a class action lawsuit against the State of New York Department of Parks, Recreation, and Historical Preservation. 

On March 1, 2006, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued additional Guidelines “for the Safe Production of Fresh-Cut Fruits and Vegetables.” Bill Marler commented on the guidelines in an opinion-editorial. 

Three film crew members who became ill with hepatitis A while working on the set of “The Good German” filed a lawsuit yesterday against Silver Grill Location Catering and Soleil Produce, Inc. The suit contends that the three men were sickened after eating a meal served by Silver Grill at a filming location in San Marino, California, on October 3, 2005. According to the suit, the contaminated lettuce was supplied by Soleil Produce. 

Marler Clark filed a lawsuit today on behalf of a Cuyahoga County woman who became ill with Salmonella and was hospitalized for four days after eating at Corky & Lenny’s on February 2. Ms. Silver is one of 16 people who were confirmed ill with Salmonella infections by the Cuyahoga County Board of Health. 

Marler Clark will file a lawsuit today against Carrabba’s Italian Grill, the Lansing restaurant that was the source of a Norovirus outbreak that sickened over 400 people in late January and early February, 2006. The lawsuit will be filed in Eaton County Circuit Court, on behalf of a Lansing resident who ate at the restaurant on January 31, 2006, and subsequently became ill with Norovirus. 

Marler Clark, the nationally recognized food safety law firm, filed a fourth E. coli lawsuit against Dole on Friday. The firm has now filed three lawsuits against Dole on behalf of Minnesotans. The most recent lawsuit was filed on behalf of a Hennepin County woman who became ill with an E. coli O157:H7 infection after eating Dole pre-packaged lettuce in September, 2005. 

Marler Clark has been contacted by victims of a Salmonella outbreak that health officials have traced to Corky and Lenny’s Restaurant in Woodmere, and is investigating claims on behalf of all individuals who contact the firm. The Cuyahoga County Board of Health has traced 12 confirmed and 41 probable cases of Salmonellosis to the restaurant since last Monday. 

Cuyahoga County health officials are investigating a Salmonella outbreak in the Cleveland area that likely originated at Corky and Lenny’s restaurant in Woodmere. At least ten people were ill with symptoms of Salmonella infections, six of them with confirmed cases of Salmonella. 

The first of what may be multiple lawsuits resulting from recent Los Angeles-area hepatitis A outbreaks was filed Tuesday in Los Angeles County Superior Court. The lawsuit, filed on behalf of a Victorville, California resident, names Silver Grill Location Catering as the defendant. According to the lawsuit, Mr. Gallagher contracted hepatitis A after consuming contaminated food manufactured and sold by Silver Grill. 

A Shigella outbreak in Yamhill County likely originated from food served at Tommy’s Restaurant in McMinnville between January 23 and January 27. Several people have become ill with Shigellosis, and health officials are warning residents to use safe food handling practices and proper hygiene to prevent the further spread of illness. 

More than 50 people became ill with an apparent foodborne illness after eating at Carraba’s Italian Grill on West Saginaw in Lansing last weekend. While public health officials work to discover the bacteria or virus making people ill, those sickened may be turning to the Internet for information on common causes of foodborne illness. http://www.FoodborneIllness.com provides information for consumers and the media about common causes of foodborne illness. 

4,991 individuals who obtained immune globulin shots for immunization during the November 2003 hepatitis A outbreak associated with the Chi Chi’s restaurant in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, will be receiving settlement checks in the coming weeks. The US Bankruptcy Court in Delaware approved an $800,000 settlement on December 15, 2005, entitling class members who completed claim forms before the October 24, 2005, deadline to $160.29.

Marler Clark filed a motion Friday for certification of a class action lawsuit against the State of New York Department of Parks, Recreation, and Historical Preservation. If the class action is certified, all persons who became ill with Cryptosporidiosis and/or were otherwise damaged as a result of the Cryptosporidium outbreak at the Seneca Lake State Park Spraypark in 2005 would be eligible to join the class and receive compensation for their injuries and economic damages. 

Marler Clark filed a lawsuit against an Oregon farm that produced E. coli-contaminated parsley, which was served at a number of restaurants in Oregon and Washington state. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of a Bremerton, Washington, resident who became ill with an E. coli infection after eating at the Boat House restaurant. 

An E. coli lawsuit was filed Thursday against Topps Meat Company and Price Chopper. The lawsuit was filed in Albany County Supreme Court on behalf of Albany County residents Darrell and Laurie Boehlke and their 8-year-old daughter, Erika, who became ill after eating a hamburger contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, a potentially deadly foodborne pathogen.

Marler Clark filed a third E. coli lawsuit against Dole in United States District Court for the District of Minnesota. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of a Minneapolis resident and her two minor daughters. The lawsuit alleges that both sisters were confirmed by the health department to be part of the outbreak that affected at least 23 people in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area who became ill with E. coli O157:H7 infections after eating Dole bagged salads at the end of September.

Over a dozen people became ill with E. coli O157:H7 infections in Oregon and Washington in September and October, 2005. The illnesses were traced to contaminated parsley consumed in at least two, and possibly more, restaurants.

Marler Clark learned that the Deschutes County Public Health Department was investigating the source of an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak that originated at McGrath’s Fish House in Bend, Oregon. Two cases were confirmed by the health department, and at least 18 other people presented with symptoms of E. coli infection. 

Bill Marler called on Dole’s corporate leaders to do the right thing and immediately pay the medical bills and wage loss of those sickened with E. coli in the Dole lettuce outbreak. Marler Clark represents consumers sickened after eating contaminated lettuce produced by Dole.

The Dole Company, Inc., whose ready-to-eat salads were linked to a large E. coli outbreak and multiple hospitalizations, was named as defendant in a lawsuit filed by a Fairmont, Minnesota, couple. The plaintiffs were represented by Marler Clark. The FDA reported that as many as 245,000 bags of Dole lettuce may have been contaminated with the lethal bacteria. 

In the last few months, Marler Clark has been contacted by individuals, mostly the parents of young children, who have suffered from E. coli O157:H7 infections. The victims live in New York, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Minnesota, and Oregon. The food implicated as the source of their infections is primarily ground beef or hamburger patties, but lettuce and parsley have also been implicated. To borrow from Buffalo Springfield, “Something’s happening here, what it is ain’t exactly clear.”

A lawsuit was filed today against Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc., in San Diego County Superior Court for the recent hepatitis A outbreak linked to a La Mesa Chipotle restaurant.  Terry Wesley, the plaintiff, became infected with hepatitis A after eating in March and April at the Chipotle Grill on Fletcher Parkway in La Mesa, California.  Mr. Wesley is represented by Marler Clark, a Seattle law firm dedicated to representing victims of food borne illness, and Keeney, Waite, & Stevens, a San Diego area firm.

William Marler, national expert in food borne illness litigation and accomplished personal injury lawyer, will speak at the University of Minnesota College of Agriculture, Food, and Environmental Sciences on Tuesday, May 6 at 3:00 PM.  He is a guest lecturer in the Food: Safety, Risk, and Technology class taught by distinguished teaching professor Dr. Ted Labuza.

A report released by the influential Pew Commission yesterday on Industrial Farm Animal Production could result in chickens and cows receiving more humane treatment.  Pew’s recommendations, based on a two-year study, would eliminate practices standard on “factory farms”.  In California, a pending anti-cruelty initiative on the ballot would address the same abuses. 

William Marler, managing partner of Seattle-based Marler Clark, has been selected for a prestigious law award recognizing his work on behalf of a safer food supply.  The Washington State Trial Lawyers Association (WSTLA) has selected him for the 2008 Public Justice Award, which is bestowed upon “an individual or organization whose efforts, courage, litigation, or innovative work results in the creation of a more just society”.  The award will be presented to Mr. Marler at the May 1, 2008 Law Day Dinner. 

William Marler, managing partner of Seattle-based Marler Clark, has been selected for two prestigious law awards.  The Washington State Trial Lawyers Association (WSTLA) has selected him for the 2008 Public Justice Award, and the King County Bar Association (KCBA) has given him the 2008 Outstanding Lawyer Award.

San Diego is the latest in a series out outbreaks and exposure to hepatitis A via restaurant food and/or infected workers.  County health officials there say they are investigating twelve cases of hepatitis A linked to a Chipotle Mexican Grill in La Mesa.

SEATTLE, WA Residents of Maine and Minnesota are confirmed infected with Salmonella Agona, the strain of Salmonella identified in the Malt-O-Meal recall, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced that at least 14 other states are reporting illnesses.  Two victims have been hospitalized in Maine, and more than 23 cases are under investigation by the Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The US Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is hosting a public meeting to discuss the challenges and proposed solutions for reducing the incidence of E. coli O157:H7 and other Shiga toxin producing E. coli in raw beef.  The public meeting will be held on Wednesday, April 9, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Thursday, April 10, from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Georgetown, 2101 Wisconsin Ave., NW, Washington, DC.  The meeting will feature various presentations and panel discussions by FSIS officials, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, representatives from industry and consumer groups, as well as by William Marler, a prominent food-borne illness attorney whose firm represents those sickened by the pathogen. 

Few subjects draw more immediate attention or concern than the safety of the food we eat, and Seattle University School of Law will host an in-depth conference to address the issue. “Who’s Minding the Store: The Current State of Food Safety and How It Can Be Improved,” a conference organized and sponsored by Marler Clark and Stoel Rives, will take place April 11 and 12 at Sullivan Hall on the Seattle University campus. 

An E. coli lawsuit was filed today against Rochester Meat Company in Wisconsin Federal District Court. The lawsuit, which stems from an E. coli outbreak traced to Rochester Meat Company’s ground beef products in late 2007 and early 2008, was filed on behalf of a Fitchburg, Wisconsin family. The family is represented by Marler Clark, the Seattle law firm nationally recognized for its efforts on behalf of victims of foodborne illness.

Marler Clark will file a lawsuit Thursday against Castleberry’s Food Co., the company that recalled tens of millions of pounds of canned meat products sold under over 80 different labels after they were identified as the source of a botulism outbreak in July, 2007. The lawsuit was filed in Federal District Court for the Northern District of Ohio on behalf a New London, Ohio resident who became ill with botulism poisoning after consuming Castleberry’s Chili Sauce in late June of 2007.

The Marler Clark network of food poisoning informational Web sites, which first appeared online in 1998, recently received a makeover. The sites, which were originally put online to provide Internet users with basic information about the illnesses caused by such foodborne pathogens as E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella, and Hepatitis A, have increased in breadth over the years to include information about complications caused by foodborne pathogens: hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), reactive arthritis (Reiter’s Syndrome), and Guillain-Barre syndrome.

Public health officials in Washington, DC, California, and Wisconsin are playing a dangerous game with American consumers by refusing to reveal the specific stores or restaurants that may have served meat contaminated by toxic E. coli, says the Seattle lawyer who represents victims of food-borne illness.

A lawsuit was filed today against ConAgra, the company whose Banquet pot pies were identified as the source of a Salmonella outbreak in October. The lawsuit was filed in Federal District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin on behalf of Malone, Wisconsin, resident Eric Mand, who ate a Banquet pot pie in September and became ill with a Salmonella infection. Mr. Mand is represented by Marler Clark, the Seattle law firm dedicated to representing victims of foodborne illness. 

Marler Clark filed a sixth lawsuit against ConAgra today on behalf of a victim of the Banquet pot pie Salmonella outbreak that sickened hundreds. The lawsuit was filed in Yakima County Superior Court on behalf of Yakima resident Renee Barnes, who became ill with a Salmonella infection in May, 2007 after consuming a Banquet pot pie manufactured by ConAgra.

A Pasco, Washington man who became ill with Salmonella after eating a Banquet pot pie in September filed a lawsuit against ConAgra, the food manufacturer whose Banquet pot pies were recalled in October after they were identified as the source of a nationwide Salmonella outbreak. The lawsuit was filed in United States District Court for the Eastern District of Washington in Spokane by the Seattle law firm Marler Clark.

Marler Clark filed the firm’s second E. coli lawsuit against Cargill today on behalf of Elk River, Minnesota, residents John and Barb Reber and their son, Scott, who became ill with an E. coli infection and was hospitalized for three days after eating a hamburger made from a Cargill ground beef patty. This lawsuit was filed in Sherburne County District Court

Marler Clark filed a lawsuit today against ConAgra, the company whose Banquet and store-brand chicken and turkey pot pies were identified as the source of a nationwide Salmonella outbreak in September. The lawsuit was filed in Grand Traverse County Superior Court on behalf of Traverse City resident David Small. 

A lawsuit was filed today against ConAgra, the company whose Banquet chicken and turkey pot pies were identified as the source of a nationwide Salmonella outbreak. The lawsuit was filed Snohomish County Superior Court on behalf of Snohomish County resident Eric Robertson, whose 2-year-old daughter, Rebecca, became ill with a Salmonella infection after eating a Banquet pot pie. 

SEATTLE, WA (October 17, 2007) – A lawsuit seeking punitive damages was filed today against Topps, the New Jersey beef supplier that recalled nearly a year’s supply of frozen ground beef patties after its products were identified as the source of an E. coli outbreak in September. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Groton, New York, residents Keith and Kristin Goodwin and their 8-year-old son, Lucas, in Tompkins County Supreme Court by Seattle-based Marler Clark and Rochester-based Underberg & Kessler

Bill Marler, the Seattle attorney who has dedicated his law practice to representing victims of E. coli and other foodborne illness outbreaks, called today on Cargill to front medical costs for victims of an E. coli outbreak traced to the company’s frozen ground beef patties. Victims of the outbreak include families of children who have been hospitalized in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Tennessee, and North Carolina.

Marler Clark filed an E. coli lin Minnesota against Cargill Meat Solutions Corporation, the meat company whose frozen ground beef products were identified as the source of an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak in September and October. The lawsuit was filed in Dakota County District Court on behalf of Dakota County residents Eric and Jennifer Gustafson and their two children, Callie and Carson, who both suffered E. coli infections after eating Cargill ground beef patties at a barbecue in September. Callie’s E. coli infection led to hemolytic uremic syndrome, and she was hospitalized for seven days. 

Marler Clark filed a lawsuit today against ConAgra, whose Banquet and store-brand pot pies were identified as the source of a nation-wide Salmonella outbreak that has caused at least 152 confirmed cases of Salmonellosis and 20 hospitalizations. The lawsuit was filed in Federal District Court for the State of Minnesota (case no. 07-4220) on behalf of Sauk Rapids, Minnesota, residents Joshua and Amy Reinert and their daughter, Isabelle, who will be two years old in December.

William Marler called on ConAgra this morning “to do the right thing for its customers and to immediately recall all of its Banquet Pot Pies without question and without hesitation.” According to a press release this morning, the CDC announced, “The outbreak appears to be ongoing.” Marler added, “As of last night these products were still on store shelves and in fact were on sale – 2 for $1.00. ConAgra, the USDA and all health authorities, should put people’s safety above sales.”

A lawsuit was filed today against Topps Meat Company, the meat producer whose ground beef products have been identified as the source of an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak, and who expanded a ground beef recall to include 21.7 million pounds of meat over the weekend. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Albany County, New York, residents Robert and Catherine McDonald and their young daughter, who became ill with an E. coli O157:H7 infection and was hospitalized after eating a hamburger made of Topps Meats ground beef on August 17th. The McDonald family is represented by the Seattle law firm, Marler Clark, and the upstate New York law firm Underberg & Kessler.

Bill Marler, food safety advocate and E. coli attorney, whose Seattle law firm, Marler Clark, has been contacted by four victims of the E. coli outbreak traced to the Topps 21,700,000 pound hamburger recall, called today on Topps to pay the medical bills and lost wages of all individuals who became ill with E. coli infections as part of the outbreak. “We know that at least twenty-five people became ill with E. coli infections after eating Topps hamburger,” Marler said. “The cost of treating victims of E. coli infections can run in the tens of thousands of dollars, or in a severe case, even in the hundreds of thousands of dollars,” Marler continued. “These families need Topps to do more than promise to cooperate in the investigation into this outbreak. They need to know that Topps intends to fulfill its corporate responsibility by looking out for its customers.”

Earlier this year J. Patrick Boyle, President and Chief Executive of the American Meat Institute, wrote in part in the New York Times: “Since 1999, the incidence of E. coli in ground beef samples tested by the Agriculture Department has declined by 80 percent to a fraction of a percent, a level once thought impossible.”

“At the time I agreed with Mr. Boyle,” said William Marler. “In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, E. coli outbreaks linked to tainted meat declined by 42 percent. But something has changed, and it has not changed for the better.”

The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service yesterday announced that Topps Meat Company of Elizabeth, New Jersey, was recalling 331,582 pounds of frozen ground beef products that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7. The recall was prompted by a combined New York Department of Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention investigation into an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak that was determined to have been caused by consumption of Topps ground beef products.

A lawsuit was filed today against Interstate Meats, Inc., the Clackamas, Oregon meat producer whose ground beef products were identified as the source of an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak among Washington, Oregon, and Idaho residents in July and August. The lawsuit was filed in Federal District Court for the Western District of Washington by Marler Clark on behalf of a King County resident who became ill with an E. coli O157:H7 infection and was hospitalized for three days after eating Interstate Meats ground beef.

Food safety attorney Bill Marler spoke out from across the globe today after hearing that bagged spinach has once again been recalled for contamination with a potentially deadly foodborne pathogen. Nearly a year after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed 205 illnesses and three deaths associated with consumption of E. coli O157:H7-contaminated Dole-brand bagged spinach, Metz Fresh of King City, California, recalled 8,118 cases of spinach for potential Salmonella contamination.

Bill Marler, an attorney who has represented thousands of victims of foodborne illness outbreaks, including victims of botulism poisoning, called on Castleberry’s, the company whose chili and dog food products were recalled last month due to contamination with Clostridium botulinum, to pay all botulism outbreak victims’ medical bills today.

The owners of Pars Cove Persian Cuisine were named as the defendant in two more lawsuits filed today in Cook County Circuit Court in Chicago. The lawsuits were filed on behalf of three plaintiffs all of whom became ill with Salmonella infections days after eating at the Pars Cove booth at the Taste of Chicago festival. All plaintiffs are represented by Marler Clark LLP, a Seattle-based law firm.

Marler Clark filed a lawsuit today against Iran Echo International Corp., the owner of the Pars Cove Persian Cuisine booth that was identified as the source of a large Salmonella outbreak at this year’s Taste of Chicago festival. The lawsuit was filed in Cook County Circuit Court on behalf of Kenneth and Donna Searcy, a Romeoville, Illinois, couple who ate food from the Pars Cove Taste of Chicago booth on July 2, and subsequently became ill with Salmonellosis.

On Wednesday July 18, 2007, the Food and Drug Administration issued a warning to consumers about the risk of botulism poisoning from hot dog chili sauce marketed under a variety of brand names. The warning came after two Texas children and an Indiana couple who ate these products became ill with botulism and were hospitalized.

Classic symptoms of botulism include double vision, blurred vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing, dry mouth, and muscle weakness. Infants with botulism appear lethargic, feed poorly, are constipated, and have a weak cry and poor muscle tone. These are all symptoms of the muscle paralysis caused by the bacterial toxin. 

Marler Clark filed a second lawsuit against Robert’s American Gourmet Food, Inc. today in Albany County Supreme Court in New York. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Voorheesville, New York residents Patrick and Elex Scheels and two of their 20-month-old triplets who became ill with Salmonella Wandsworth infections after consuming Veggie Booty in April. 

A lawsuit was filed today in Federal District Court for the Western District of New York against Robert’s American Gourmet, the manufacturer of Veggie Booty, the snack food that was recalled on June 28 after public health officials identified the product as the source of a nationwide Salmonella outbreak. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Valparaiso, Indiana, residents David and Ashlee Allen, whose 18-month-old son, Xavier, became ill with a severe Salmonella infection after eating Salmonella-contaminated Veggie Booty in May, and continues to suffer from the effects of Salmonella. 

William Marler, a food safety advocate and attorney whose Seattle law firm, Marler Clark, has been contacted by five victims of a Salmonella outbreak traced to the consumption of Veggie Booty snack food, which is marketed by Robert’s American Gourmet, of Sea Cliff, New York, today called on the manufacturer to pay the medical bills of all individuals who became ill with Salmonella infections as part of the outbreak. 

Marler Clark filed a lawsuit against the Meat Market, a Fresno, California, business that was identified as the source of an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak in May. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of an 80-year-old Fresno resident who became ill with an E. coli O157:H7 infection and was hospitalized for 15 days with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a complication of E. coli infection that caused his kidneys to fail, after eating “tri-tip” purchased from the Meat Market and served at a graduation party.

The first lawsuit stemming from an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak traced to ground beef produced by United Food Group, Inc. (UFG) was filed yesterday in Riverside County Superior Court, in California. The lawsuit was filed against UFG by Seattle-based Marler Clark and San Diego-based Gordon and Holmes on behalf of a Hemet, California, couple whose four-year-old daughter became ill with an E. coli infection and was hospitalized with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) after eating UFG ground beef. 

A lawsuit was filed today against PM Beef Holdings, LLC and Lund Food Holdings, Inc., the producer and retailer who sold E. coli-contaminated ground beef traced to an outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 illnesses in Minnesota and Wisconsin residents in April, 2007. The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Anne Herwig, a Minneapolis,