One man has died, four children have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (three of them are on dialysis and fighting to recover), at least 50 people have been hospitalized and at least 23 others have been sickened but not hospitalized.

The Oklahoma State Department of Health is focusing its investigation on the Country Cottage restaurant, looking at all possible scenarios that could have led to so many people being sickened by food served there.

For information about a Country Cottage lawsuit, please contact our law firm: call 1-888-377-8900 (toll-free), email attorney Fred Pritzker, or submit the form on this page for a free consultation

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June 25, 2008 – State departments of health and agriculture in Michigan and Ohio, CDC, and the United States Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS) are investigating a multi-state outbreak of Escherichia coli O157:H7 infections. To date, 32 confirmed cases have been linked both epidemiologically and by molecular fingerprinting to this outbreak, 15 in Michigan and 17 in Ohio. Onset of illness in these patients occurred from 5/30/08 to 6/11/08. Fourteen ill persons have been hospitalized. One patient has developed a type of kidney failure called hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS). No deaths linked to the outbreak have been reported. Twenty (62%) of patients are female. Patients range in age from 4 to 78 years with a median age of 21 years.

Kroger ground beef has been linked to the this E. coli outbreak. State health and agriculture departments have tested ground beef recovered from patient residences and purchased at Kroger® retail stores in Michigan and Ohio. Molecular fingerprinting testing conducted by the Ohio and Michigan Departments of Health and Agriculture Laboratories, in collaboration with PulseNet, the national molecular subtyping network for foodborne disease surveillance, on E. coli O157 isolates isolated from ground beef samples have confirmed the isolates to be the outbreak strain of E. coli O157.

Analysis of the case-control study data indicates a significant association between illness among case patients and eating ground beef purchased at at one of several Kroger® Co. stores in Michigan and Ohio. CDC has provided these results to the USDA-FSIS and public health agencies in Michigan and Ohio.

A recall has been announced for ground beef sold at Kroger® Co. Stores in Michigan and Ohio. The products subject to recall include all varieties and weights of ground beef products bearing a Kroger label sold between May 21 and June 8 at Michigan and Columbus and Toledo, Ohio Kroger retail establishments. These ground beef products also include a sell-by date between “05/21/08″ and “06/08/08.”

The epidemiological and microbiological evidence of that Kroger ground beef is linked to the outbreak can be used in a Kroger E. coli lawsuit seeking compensation for medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, emotional distress and other damages. We have used both epidemiological and microbiological evidence to successfully prove “causation,” an element of an E. coli lawsuit that looks at whether the suspected food product was the actual cause of the victim’s E. coli infection and related complications, including hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). HUS is one of the leading causes of kidney failure (renal failure).

We have recovered compensation for victims of E. coli outbreaks involving grocery stores. We have also recently recovered amounts for families of people who died from E. coli and HUS. Contact us regarding our experience with E. coli litigation, grocery store liability, a Kroger E. coli lawsuit and any other issue that you would want to discuss with an E. coli lawyer.

Contact a Pritzker | Ruohonen lawyer:

• Call 1-888-377-8900 (toll-free);
• Submit our free case consultation form (top of right column); or
• Email our lawyers.

Pritzker | Ruohonen & Associates, P.A. represents foodborne illness survivors in cases throughout the United States.

Attorneys Fred Pritzker and Rich Ruohonen have a national reputation and have been interviewed by The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Lawyers USA and other publications. In recognition of their accomplishments, they have been named “Super Lawyers” by Law & Politics magazine.

Fred and Rich are sought-after speakers and have conducted numerous legal seminars and presentations on such matters as how to get top verdicts and settlements, foodborne illness, products liability, trial tactics, use of expert witnesses, and pain and suffering.

DO YOU NEED AN E. COLI LAWYER?

E. coli cases are complex and involve a number of subjects about which most lawyers are unfamiliar. Successful E. coli lawyers must have years of experience representing food safety survivors and know and understand technical subjects including epidemiology, microbiology, infectious disease, food safety and sanitation, and internal and gastrointestinal medicine. As importantly, lawyers handling these cases should be seasoned trial attorneys. Insurance companies know which lawyers try cases (and are therefore capable of large verdicts) versus those who have little trial experience and end up settling for less than experienced trial counsel.

Because of the resources food companies and their insurers devote to defending them, it’s critically important that your lawyer has the best people available to work on your case and the resources to pay for them. Experienced E. coli lawyers have connections with top-notch epidemiologists, microbiologists, medical professionals, and other experts to act as consultants and, if necessary, witnesses at a trial.

If you need an E. coli lawyer, we would like to help. To contact an E. coli lawyer at Pritzker | Ruohonen, please call toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or submit the firm’s free case consultation form for review by an E. coli lawyer.

For those who were sickened, it is important for others, especially the church family, to understand that they are really sick and need support and prayers, even after they return home from the hospital. We monitor meat recalls and E. coli outbreaks, so we would recommend that people not use ground beef in meals for the families.

Those who were sickened and their families have medical bills, lost earnings and other damages, and they should be compensated for these losses. However, pursuing a claim against one’s church is not something everyone is willing to do. That may not be necessary. If the food responsible for the E. coli poisoning is pinpointed, an E. coli lawyer can pursue claims against the manufacturer, distributor and others connected with that food product.

Even if a food source if pinpointed, it will probably be in the sickened individual’s best interests to pursue a claim against the church. Given that churches generally have insurance to cover liabilities like this, pursuing a claim against a church should not be viewed an assault against the church. Pursuing a claim against the church may be the only way to get to the insurance money. Sadly, this is how the system works. Any lawsuit against the church should not be taken personally by the members of the church. We are sensitive to situations like this and have dealt with this issue before.

While health officials work to track down the food product, those sickened and their families may want to contact an experienced E. coli lawyer regarding what can be done to protect legal rights. To contact a lawyer at our law firm, please call toll-free at 1-999-377-8900 or submit the firm’s free case consultation form.

“These illnesses represent yet another breakdown in a system which seems incapable of protecting the public from contaminated food,” stated Mr. Olsen. “We believe there are other victims out there who have not yet come forward.”

The Waterloo Cedar-Falls Courier reported on the lawsuit:

Represented by attorney Elliot Olsen of Minneapolis, Bellis filed her suit against CMT Inc., which operates the Taco John’s restaurant at 6210 University Ave., in Black Hawk County District Court earlier this month.

Two other suits against Taco John’s were filed in federal court in December 2006 and have since been settled.

According to court records, Bellis had two soft-shell tacos with lettuce at the Cedar Falls store Nov. 30.

On Dec. 4, she had abdominal cramps, which progressed to bloody diarrhea, vomiting and extreme dehydration. She spent two day in the hospital after an emergency room visit, records state.

Workers at the Black Hawk County Health Department determined she had tested positive E. coli bacteria and concluded she became sick as a result of her Taco John’s meal.

CMT is based in South Dakota and operates Taco John’s in Cedar Falls.

Officials said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said the E. coli strain was traced to growers in California, and some 81 people in Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin were infected.

In Black Hawk County, 33 people became ill with E. coli infections, and 14 were hospitalized.

To contact Elliot Olsen, please call toll-free at 1-888-377-8900, email Elliot, or submit the firm’s free case consultation form. Read more about the Iowa E. coli outbreak linked to Taco John’s on our website.

The Topps recall forced FSIS to drastically change procedures to prevent massive recalls in the future. On October 23, 2007, FSIS released a strategic plan to combat E. coli 0157:H7. The plan called for testing and analysis of trim, a new checklist for verifying control, testing more domestic and imported ground beef components, more rapid recalls, routine testing, and ensuring the safety of imported beef. FSIS also promised greater working cooperation with federal partners, small plants, stakeholders, and public health partners.

Under the new program, FSIS will consider establishment volume and any positive tests for E. coli 0157:H7 at the establishment in the past 120 days. FSIS inspectors will take frequent samples, ranging from 4 to 24 samples annually. This new protocol for testing became effective on January 1, 2008.

Pritzker | Ruohonen, a leading foodborne illness litigation law firm, is investigating cases of E. coli 0157:H7. The firm has a national reputation and has recovered millions for victims of foodborne illness. To contact an E. coli lawyer at the firm, please call toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or submit the firm’s free case consultation form.

Minneapolis, MN November 29, 2007 — So far this year over 28 million pounds of beef products have been recalled due to possible contamination with E. coli O157:H7. Most recently, American Foods Group, LLC, a Green Bay, Wisconsin firm, recalled 48 tons of ground beef products.

Fred Pritzker, a leading food safety lawyer, believes more information about recalls and the companies involved in them should be readily available to consumers. “It is extremely difficult for the average consumer to learn anything about a company’s E. coli O157:H7 track record and just as hard to find out if recalled hamburger made its way into the consumer’s household (much less the mouths of his/her loved ones),” states Pritzker. “That’s because the labels on most ground beef products do not disclose the identity of the company that produced it. In other words, even if a consumer wanted to avoid products from a company that consistently produced hamburger laced with E. coli O157:H7, there is no way to find out.”

Read the full press release entitiled, “Attorney Fred Pritzker Calls for Food Safety Disclosure Laws.”

E. coli Lawyer contacted the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) regarding its investigation into the illnesses that may be associated with American Foods Group, LLC ground beef products. According to Kimberly Parker, IDPH Communications Manager, IDPH both the sickened people and ground beef products found in the home tested positive for E. coli O157:H7.

If you or your child is having symptoms of E. coli—primarily cramps and watery and/or bloody diarrhea—promptly seek medical attention. You should tell the doctor the person ate a recalled pizza and has E. coli symptoms. You should ask that a stool sample be tested for E. coli O157:H7. To ensure that the lab does the proper tests, be sure to ask your doctor to specifically request a culture for E. coli O157:H7.

If there is a diagnosis of E. coli O157:H7, you will need to notify your state’s department of health to report the case. Health officials should do genetic fingerprint analysis on E. coli isolates from your stool sample. If not, testing can be done at private labs. Contact us for help through this process. To contact an E. coli lawyer at Pritzker | Ruohonen, please call toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or submit the firm’s online consultation form.

Restaurants are responsible for the food they serve. If someone contracts an E. coli infection after eating a hamburger served at a restaurant, compensation for injuries can be sought from the restaurant. If a specific food that was served at the restaurant is pinpointed, the restaurant, supplier of that food product and others can be pursued in an E. coli lawsuit. In this scenario, the restaurant can be held 100% liable for injuries to the sickened patron. The restaurant could then pursue the supplier and others in a separate lawsuit that would not involve the sickened patron. The reason for a sickened patron to include suppliers and others in an E. coli lawsuit would be to have more sources for compensation. An E. coli lawyer should be consulted whenever an E. coli infection is associated with a restaurant.

To contact an E. coli lawyer at Pritzker | Ruohonen, please call toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or submit the firm’s online contact form for review by an E. coli lawyer. Pritzker | Ruohonen represents victims of outbreaks associated with restaurants. The firm is also representing the family of a woman who died as the result of an E. coli infection associated with a restaurant. In this wrongful death case, a specific food source was not found.