PITTSBURGH—Marler Clark and Meyers, Rosen, Louik & Perry filed two more lawsuits against Chi Chi’s on behalf of hepatitis victims today in the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County. The lawsuits were filed on behalf of Laura Cameron and Brian Prichinello, who ate at the Beaver Valley Mall Chi Chi’s together on October 19.
The lawsuit seeks damages related to Laura and Brian’s hepatitis-A infections, including medical and medical-related expenses, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life. Attorneys also ask that the court compensate Laura and Brian for lost wages and other damages that occurred as a direct result of their illnesses.
“We are filing these lawsuits because Chi Chi’s has not yet taken responsibility for the outbreak and offered to compensate victims,” said William Marler of Marler Clark, the Seattle law firm nationally recognized for its successful representation of foodborne illness victims. “Hepatitis-A infections are not pretty. Our clients suffered a great deal.”
Victims of hepatitis-A suffer from nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, and fever. Symptoms most often begin two to six weeks after exposure, and can last for up to two weeks. Preventative treatment is effective when administered within fourteen days of exposure to the virus, but after fourteen days, preventative treatment is not an option.
Marler Clark represents dozens of victims in this outbreak and numerous people who were not infected with the virus, but received Immune Globulin shots after being exposed to the virus.
###
BACKGROUND: Marler Clark has achieved great success representing hepatitis-A victims across the country. The firm obtained a million dollar settlement on behalf of people infected with hepatitis-A after eating contaminated food at two Seattle Subway Sandwich franchises. Marler Clark has also represented victims who became ill with hepatitis-A after eating at a Carl’s Jr. restaurant in Spokane, Washington, three restaurants in Northwest Arkansas, a large wedding party in Michigan, which resulted in a death, a Taco Bell outlet in Florida, and at a deli in Massachusetts. The firm has been recently contacted by victims of an outbreak in Georgia and North Carolina that was linked to contaminated green onions.
More about the Chi-Chi's hepatitis A outbreak can be found in the Case News area of this site.