SEATTLE, WA - Marler Clark, the Seattle law firm known for its successful representation of persons injured in food-borne illness outbreaks, today announced that it obtained a $1.4 million settlement on behalf of 55 persons who were infected with Salmonella Muenchen after drinking orange juice contaminated with the bacteria. The juice was manufactured by the Arizona-based company, Sun Orchard, Inc.
“This is truly a superior result,” said William Marler, a partner at the Marler Clark law firm. “While no amount of money can ever give back the time lost by our clients to this painful disease, or erase their painful memories, we are confident that this settlement will go a long way toward putting our clients’ lives back on track.” Marler added, “More importantly, this settlement sends a strong message to manufacturers that they will be held accountable for the sale of food contaminated by salmonella.”
There are approximately 2,000 serotypes of Salmonella that can cause sickness in humans. A common myth is that you can only get Salmonella from raw eggs, but various Salmonella species have been found in foods such as raw meats, poultry, swine, milk and dairy products, fish, frog legs, yeast, coconut, peanut butter, chocolate, and environmental sources such as water, insects, and kitchen surfaces. The frightening reality is that cases of Salmonella are being reported in new mediums that were once thought harmless, such as the recent infections linked to a toasted oat cereal.
Every year, approximately 40,000 cases of salmonellosis are reported in the United States. Because many milder cases are not diagnosed or reported, the actual number of infections is sometimes estimated to be twenty or more times greater. It is estimated that approximately 1,000 persons in the United States die each year with acute salmonellosis.
###
Background: Marler Clark has extensive experience representing victims of food-borne illness. William Marler represented Brianne Kiner in her $15.6 million settlement with Jack in the Box. In May 1998, Marler Clark settled the Odwalla Juice E. coli outbreak for the five families whose children were severely injured after consuming contaminated apple juice. Marler Clark is currently lead counsel in actions stemming from E. coli, Salmonella, Shigella, and Hepatitis outbreaks in Washington, California, Ohio, Missouri, Arizona, and Wisconsin. Marler Clark has also litigated on behalf of children against KFC, McDonalds, Hardees, Subway, and Carl's Jr. Marler Clark presently represents children in an E. coli outbreak stemming from contaminated beef served in a school lunch.
For more information on salmonella, please visit www.about-salmonella.com.