MILWAUKEE, WI - Marler Clark, the Seattle, Washington law firm with extensive experience representing food-borne illness victims, and Fox, O’Neill, and Shannon of Milwaukee, are investigating the recent E. coli outbreak linked to the Sizzler franchise restaurant in Milwaukee owned by Eschenbach-Boysa Management, and the legal responsibility of Sizzler International, Inc., for its role in the outbreak that has sickened 40 and left one child dead. Sizzler, which owns 95 and franchises 253 restaurants in the U.S., was implicated in another E. coli outbreak in 1993.
According to Denis Stearns, a Marler Clark partner and a graduate of the University of Wisconsin Law School: “Although most people recover from an E. coli O157: H7 infection, about 5-10% of infected individuals goes on to develop hemolytic uremic syndrome (“HUS”), a severe life-threatening complication. HUS was first described in 1955, and is now recognized as the most common cause of kidney failure in childhood. E. coli O157: H7 is responsible for over 90% of the cases of HUS that develop in North America.” For additional information on E. coli, please visit www.about-ecoli.com.
People who ate at Sizzler and have suffered any symptoms should see immediate medical attention and contact the Milwaukee City Health Department or the appropriate local health agency.
###
Marler Clark represented Brianne Kiner in her $15.6 million settlement with Jack in the Box. Mr. Marler also secured compensation totaling $30 million for other victims from the 1993 Jack in the Box E. coli outbreak. In May 1998, Marler Clark settled the Odwalla Juice E. coli outbreak for the five families whose children were severely injured after consuming Odwalla apple juice. Marler Clark is currently lead counsel in class actions stemming from several Salmonella, Shigella, and Hepatitis outbreaks in Washington, California and Arizona. Marler Clark has litigated on behalf of children throughout the U.S. against KFC, McDonalds, Hardees, and Carl’s Jr. Marler Clark is presently representing children in an E. coli outbreak stemming from contaminated beef served in a school lunch, and others, including an Atlanta, Georgia E. coli outbreak involving contaminated swimming pool water.
More about the Sizzler E. coli outbreak can be found in the Case News area of this site.