BBQ Shack E. coli and HUS Food Poisoning Investigation in Toccoa, Georgia

The investigation of an outbreak of E. coli O157:h7 infections and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) in Georgia has found solid evidence linking the illnesses to the BBQ Shack in Toccoa, GA. Ten people from Georgia have fallen ill, and one from South Carolina. Five of these people developed HUS, a complication of an E. coli infection that causes renal failure, heart attack, stroke, acute diabetes, pancreatitis, respiratory distress and other serious health problems. HUS-E. coli O157 can be fatal.

E. coli and HUS Victims Have the Right to Sue for Compensation

E coli Lawsuit Sue NowTen of the E. coli food poisoning victims ate at the restaurant during the weekend of May 2-4, 2013. The eleventh person most likely contracted the illness from another victim of the outbreak. All of these people, even the one who did not eat at the restaurant, have the right to sue the restaurant for E. coli food poisoning.

"Every E. coli outbreak has its own genetic fingerprint," explains Fred Pritzker, an E. coli lawyer who recently won $4,500,00.00 for an E. coli-HUS victim who ate tainted steak at a restaurant. You can contact Fred for a FREE consult here. "If, for example, a parent contracts an E. coli infection from a restaurant and then transmits the illness to his or her child, that child's E. coli infection is also linked to the restaurant. The parent and the child both have the legal right to sue the restaurant for compensation."

The investigation has not found the specific food item responsible for the outbreak. Epidemiologic, environmental, and laboratory investigations are ongoing, and test results may lead to the tainted food item.

"E. coli and HUS victims can sue a restaurant for food poisoning even if the specific food source of the outbreak is never determined," says Pritzker. 

Attorney Fred Pritzker and his Bad Bug Law Team have won millions for their clients in personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits against restaurants and others. You can contact them for a FREE case review here.

Five With HUS From GA E.coli Outbreak Associated With BBQ Shack

Ten of 11 people sickened with E.coli poisoning ate at BBQ Shack in Toccoa, GA during the weekend of May 2-4, 2013, according to state health authorities. Seven of them have been hospitalized, five have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS)

E coli Lawsuit Sue NowA meal at the BBQ Shack was the only common exposure reported among case-patients, health authorities said. They are still trying to pinpoint a specific food source, but believe the exposure was limited to the first weekend in May.

 Medical treatment for HUS can take weeks or months and cost tens of thousands of dollars. For family members, watching a loved one struggling to overcome a life-threatening illness can be overwhelming especially as the mounting medical bills and lost wages create a financial burden.

PritzkerOlsen is one of the leading E. coli litigation law firms in the United States. Their attorneys have extensive experience in the complicated field of food safety law. If you think you need help and would like a free consultation with an E.coli lawyer,  contact them toll free at 1 (888) 377-8900.

 

 

 

Privately Made Cheese in Minneapolis Poisons 25 People with Salmonella

Queso Fresco made at home from unpasteurized milk created a health threat in Minneapolis during the month of April due to an outbreak of Salmonella infections. Of the 25 Minnesotans who fell ill, 15 were hospitalized. The individuals are better now, but state officials have pinpointed the cause: Mexican-style soft cheese made without a license from raw milk purchased from a Dakota County farmer. Minnesota law allows consumers to purchase raw milk directly from the farm for their own consumption, but it may not be further distributed or sold. Additionally, cheese production facilities need to follow proper food safety laws and regulations, including licensure.

The state is using the outbreak to emphasize the public health dangers of raw milk. Even the cleanest dairy operation can't prevent fecal bacteria from contaminating bottled milk. Even small bacteria counts can cause outbreaks salmonellosis, E. coli poisoning, Campylobacter infections and other foodborne illnesses capable of causing serious illness and even death in some cases. The Bad Bug Law Team at Pritzker Olsen Attorneys is obtaining the public health docket in this outbreak to prepare for possible Salmonella litigation. To contact an attorney, call our offices at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or leave your contact information and a lawyer from the team will promptly respond.

This outbreak lasted from March 28 to April 24. The proprietor of the contaminated queso fresco made home deliveries and also may have sold the product on a street corner near the East Lake Street area of Minneapolis. Samples of unpasteurized queso fresco collected from the cheese maker were found to contain the same strain of Salmonella as the illnesses. Unpasteurized milk samples collected at the farm were also found to match the outbreak strain.

Krinos Tahini Sesame Paste Connected to Salmonella in Minnesota Children

Krinos tahini sesame paste under recall by the manufacturer since late last month has been connected to an outbreak of salmonellosis in Minnesota, where two children who are both under one year old have become infected by the bacteria. Foodborne illness experts from the Minnesota Department of Health are warning consumers not to eat Krinos brand tahini from the affected lots (see Krinos Salmonella recall for details). Minnesota officials took samples of the tahini from the homes of the Minnesota case patients, but the samples were still being analyzed by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture Laboratory.

The Krinos brand tahini sesame paste was distributed nationwide through retail stores. It is sold in 1-pound glass jars, 2-pound glass jars and in 40-pound plastic pails. The UPC codes for the products are 0-75013-28500-3 (1 lb. jar), 0-75013-28510-2 (2 lb. jar) and 0-75013-04018-3 (40 lb. pail). The recalled lots have a code stamped on the lid of EXP JAN 01 – 2014 up to and including EXP JUN 08 – 2014 and EXP OCT 16 – 2014 up to and including EXP MAR 15 – 2015.

Salmonella food poisoning is not to be taken lightly. The pathogen can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections, especially in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy people infected with Salmonella often experience diarrhea, fever, and abdominal pain. Symptoms often begin 12-72 hours after consumption of contaminated food but can begin up to a week or more later. People who become infected by Salmonella carry the risk of long-term health damage, including a chronic disease known as Reactive Arthritis, which can inflict joint pain and other negative consequences to a case patient for life.

Toccoa, Georgia, E. coli Outbreak

Northeast Georgia has an E. coli outbreak of unknown origin that has sparked a public health investigation in Stephens County, a health department official has told WNEG Radio News in Toccoa. The station quotes Dave Palmer of District Two Public Health as saying seven cases have all appeared in the past couple of weeks and that experts are looking into it.

Each year in the United States, E. coli infections cause approximately 265,000 illnesses and about 100 deaths. Approximately 40 percent of these infections are caused by the strain E. coli O157:H7, which produces a shiga toxin that attacks a person's red blood cells and can cause HUS kidney failure, also known as hemolytic uremic syndrome. Children age 5 and under are most susceptible to HUS complications when they become infected by toxic E. coli. The other 60 percent of E. coli cases in the U.S. are caused by non-0157:H7 types of E. coli that also produce shiga toxin.

 

Stephens County is nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Northeast Georgia. It is known for its friendly people, progressive government, quality schools, ruggedness and scenic beauty. Among the most scenic areas of the county are the 900-foot-high Currahee Mountain, the last mountain in the Blue Ridge Mountain chain, and 186-foot-high Toccoa Falls.

Restaurant Salmonella Outbreak in N.C. Appears to Pivot around Holiday Inn Hotel

Five people have been hospitalized with signs and symptoms consistent with Salmonella infection in an outbreak that public health officials have associated with restaurant facilities at Holiday Inn Bordeaux, near Fayetteville, North Carolina, serving Fort Bragg Army Base and Pope Air Force Base. So far, 44 people have been identified as potential victims of the outbreak, which seems to be contained to the month of May. Out of an awareness of the suffering and losses that are occurring due to food poisoning associated with the hotel's two restaurants, the foundation is being laid for a Holiday Inn Bordeaux Salmonella lawsuit.

The public health investigation by the state of North Carolina and the Cumberland County Department of Public Health is trying to pinpoint what caused the outbreak, but victims have in common the fact that they got sick with Salmonella symptoms within 3 to 4 days after eating at the All American Sports Bar and Grill, The Café Bordeaux or possibly from the convention hotel's banquet kitchen. If you have eaten at the hotel and are sickened with nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, stay hydrated and immediately seek medical attention. In addition, you or your lawyer should contact with health department for notification to investigators who may want to ask you questions about what you ate and when you dined.

When choosing legal representation, consider the complexity of foodborne illness law and the experience a given firm has in negotiating comprehensive food poisoning claims or seeking those damage awards through litigation. Even if your illness was not life threatening, you could still receive substantial compensation from the companies responsible for this outbreak. The Bad Bug Law Team at Pritzker Olsen Attorneys is continuing to accept cases from this outbreak and is actively representing people in current Salmonella lawsuits in another, major restaurant outbreak. For a no-obligation review of your situation, call the firm at 1-888-377-8900 (Toll Free) or leave your contact information and one of the attorneys will promptly respond.

 

Bordeaux Cafe / All American Sports Bar Inspection Results

As part of the Bad Bug Law Team's investigation of the current outbreak, our attorneys have reviewed the public inspection reports for these facilities at the Holiday Inn Bordeaux, 1707 Owen Drive. In the most recent inspection, conducted in mid-March, 2013, the combined kitchen received an "A" grade, but inspectors highlighted three areas where significant demerits were found.

  • An employee was observed not washng their hands between cooking food, serving the customer at their tables and then returning to prepare and cook food. This is a violation of section 2-301.14 of the food code.
  • The glasses and plates were stacked and stored on the clean dish rack with food debris left in them.
  • The foods in the walk in cooler were not meeting the required temperature. The sliced cheese, ham, monterrey cheese, corn beef, pre-boiled eggs, and chicken were discarded per management due to temperature violations. This is a violation of section 3-501.16. Ensure that all cold holding temperatures for refrigerated equipment in use shall be 41°f or below.

 

Holiday Inn Salmonella Food Poisoning: Victims Have the Right to Sue for Compensation

Salmonella Lawsuit Sue NowThe Holiday Inn Bordeaux in Fayetteville, North Carolina has been associated with an outbreak of Salmonella food poisoning that has 2 confirmed cases and 14 suspected cases. One of the Salmonella victims was hospitalized. 

All of the Salmonella victims ate food prepared on May 7 or 8 at the hotel, which has two restaurants, the All American Sports Bar and Grill and The Café Bordeaux, and a banquet kitchen.

People sickened by food served at a hotel have the legal right to sue for compensation. What each case is worth depends on a number of factors, including the severity of the illness, the length of hospitalization and the amount of time the victim could not work.

In some cases, Salmonella victims develop serious complications, including reactive arthritis (Salmonella damages the joints), colitis, meningitis (Salmonella in the brain), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and sepsis (Salmonella in the blood).

Contact our Salmonella lawyers for a free consultation here and tell them your story. They can help you know if you have the right to file a lawsuit against Holiday Inn.

Firefly Restaurant Salmonella Litigation Could Apply to 200 Food Poisoning Victims

A Firefly on Paradise Salmonella lawsuit is already active in Nevada district court as public health experts continue to investigate the ingredient or food that caused 200 people -- including four Paradise restaurant workers -- to develop salmonellosis after eating at the tapas restaurant during April 21 through April 26. The latest illness count was provided by the Southern Nevada Health District, an agency that found conditions in the restaurant so unsafe that it ordered the facility to close. Now the restaurant must meet a long list of food safety requirements before it can reopen.

Salmonella lawyer Fred Pritzker and his Bad Bug Law Team have sued Firefly and its owners based on the firm's own investigation and the best available public information. Mr. Pritzker represents numerous victims in this outbreak, which has been described as the worst in a decade for southern Nevada. It's not too late to join the litigation if you or a loved one was sickened after eating at Firefly on Paradise Road in Las Vegas during the late-April time period. Leave your contact information and a lawyer from the firm will promptly respond. Our case reviews come with no obligation on your part.

Firefly on Paradise Food Poisoning Detail

The latest update from the health department explained that the four workers who got sick after eating at their own restaurant were not, themselves, the cause of the outbreak. And so far, testing of food samples and interviews with a subset of case patients has not pinpointed what food was laden with Salmonella bacteria. All identified ill persons ate at Firefly during April 21 through April 26, 2013. Illness onset dates suggest that patrons who ate at Firefly on April 22-23, 2013 had the highest risk of exposure to the pathogen.

Case patients in this outbreak are from 20 different states (AZ, CA, CO, HI, IL, MA, MN, MS, NC, NE, NV, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, SC, TX, UT, WA) and two foreign countries (Canada, United Kingdom) who ate at Firefly during their visits to Las Vegas. 
 

Farm Rich E. coli O121 Outbreak in Ohio, New York, Michigan, Missouri and Other States

E coli Lawsuit Sue NowOur E. coli lawyers expect the Farm Rich E. coli O121 outbreak to continue growing for months because the contaminated products are frozen snacks. To date, the number of confirmed cases of E. coli food poisoning has grown to 35 in 19 states, Missouri being the new state added to the list: Alabama (1), Arkansas (1), California (1), Colorado (1), Florida (2), Illinois (2), Indiana (2), Michigan (3), Mississippi (1), Missouri (1), New York (4), Ohio (6), Pennsylvania (1), South Dakota (1), Texas (3), Utah (1), Virginia (1), Washington (1), and Wisconsin (2).

Most likely, far more people have been sickened by the recalled Farm Rich products, but they either did not go to the doctor or saw a doctor who did not get a stool sample for E. coli testing.  We want to stress the need to have your doctor get a stool sample if he or she suspects food poisoning. The health department should then be contacted. The CDC explains testing of E. coli O121:

"Because clinical laboratories typically cannot directly identify non-O157 STEC serogroups [O121 is non-O157], they must first test stool samples for the presence of Shiga toxins.  Then, the positive samples must be sent to public health laboratories to look for non-O157 STEC."

Once E. coli O121 is diagnosed, additional testing needs to be done to find the genetic fingerprint of the E. coli. This test is called pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE).

Two of the E. coli victims developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), an acute form of renal failure that leads to damage to other organs, including the brain, heart, pancreas and liver. It can cause little children to have heart attacks and strokes. It can be fatal, particularly when there is central nervous system damages or the child develops diabetes. 

Evidence Linking Farm Rich Products to the E. coli O121 Outbreak

Twenty-four (100%) of 24 ill persons interviewed reported consuming frozen food products. Twelve (63%) of 19 ill persons reported consuming Farm Rich brand frozen food products. Investigations are ongoing to determine the specific types and sources of frozen food that might be linked with illness, as well as to determine which particular ingredients or components of these products may be contaminated. This is statistically significant evidence that can be used in a lawsuit seeking compensation for E. coli food poisoining.

The New York State Department of Health, Wadsworth Center Laboratory, identified the outbreak strain of E. coli O121 in an opened package of Farm Rich brand frozen mini chicken and cheese quesadillas from an ill person’s home. This is "smoking gun" evidence that these products caused the outbreak.

The implicated Farm Rich products are mini chicken and cheese quesadillas, mini mozzarella bites and cheesesteak sandwiches. Other Farm Rich products, manufactured by Rich Products, were also recalled due to possible E. coli contamination.

The recalled products were distributed to thousands of retailers in the United States. Below are just a few of them:

1. A&P Stores in NJ and NY
2. Albertson's Stores in AR, ID, LA, MT, ND, NV, OR, TX, WA and WY
3. Alco Nationwide
4. Apple Market Stores in KS, MO and NE
5. Big Y Stores in CT, and MA
6. Bi-Lo Stores in GA, NC, PA, SC and TN
7. BJs Stores in CT, DE, FL, MA, ME, MD, NH, NJ, NC, NY, OH, PA, and VA
8. Brookshire Brothers Stores in AR, LA, and TX
9. Bruno's Stores in AL
10. Coborn's Stores in MN
11. Country Mart Stores in AR, KS KY, MO, and OK
12. Dahl's Stores in IA
13. Demoulas Markets Stores in MA
14. Dillons Stores in KS, MO and NE
15. Dominick's Stores in IL
16. Fareway Stores in IA
17. Food 4 Less Stores in CA, IL, IN, LA, MO, and NV
18. Food City Stores in KY, TN and VA
19. Food Lion Stores in DE, GA, KY, MD, NC, PA, SC, TN, VA, and WV
20. Fred Meyer Stores in AK, ID, OR and WA
21. Fresh Market Stores in UT
22. Fry's Food and Drug Stores in AZ,
23. GFS (Gordon Food Service) Stores in PA
24. Giant Stores in DC, DE, MA, MD, PA and VA
25. Giant Eagle Stores in MD, OH, PA and WV
26. Hannaford Stores in CT, MA, ME, NH, NY, RI, and VT
27. Harmon's Stores in UT
28. Harp's Stores in AR and MO
29. Harris Teeter Stores in DC, DE, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, TN, and VA
30. Harvey's Stores in FL, GA, and SC
31. HEB Stores in TX
32. Homeland Stores in OK
33. IGA Stores in AL, CT, IL, IN, KS, KY, MI, MO, NC, NY, OH, PA, TN, VA
34. Ingles Markets Stores in GA, NC, SC, and TN
35. Jewel Stores in IA, IL, IN and UT
36. King Soopers Stores in CO
37. Kroger Stores in AL, AR, AZ, DE, GA, IL, IN, KY, MI, MO, MS, NC, OH, SC, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, and WV
38. Market Basket Stores in MA, NH, LA, and TX
39. Marsh Stores in IN and OH
40. Meijer Stores in AR, IL, IN, KY, MA, MI, MO, NY, NH, OH, and VT
41. Pathmark Stores in DE, NJ, NY, and PA
42. Piggly Wiggly Stores in AL, LA and MS
43. Price Chopper Stores in AL, AR, CT, GA, NY, KS KY, LA, MA, MO, MS, NY, OK, PA, RI, TN, and VT
44. Publix Stores in AL, FL, GA, SC, and TN
45. Quality Food Center Stores in OR and WA
46. Ralph's Stores in CA
47. S&S (Shop and Save) Stores in CT, MA, NJ, NY, RI, and OH
48. Safeway Stores in AZ, CA, CO, DC, DE, IN, MD, NJ, OR, and VA, WA
49. Schnuck's Stores in MO
50. Shaw's Stores in MA, ME, NH, RI and VT
51. Shop Rite Stores in NJ, NY, and PA
52. Smart and Final Stores in AZ, CA, and NV
53. Smith's Stores in AZ, ID, MT, NM, NV, UT and WY
54. Stewart's Shops Stores in NY and VT
55. Stop & Shop Stores in CT, MA, NH, NJ, NY, and RI
56. Sweetbay Stores in FL
57. Supervalu Stores in CO, OR, and UT
58. Target Stores in AZ, FL, IA, and TX
59. Thriftway Stores in ID, KS, MO, NE, and UT
60. Tops Stores in CT, NY, PA and VT
61. United Supermarkets Stores in OK and TX
62. Von's Stores in CA
63. Waldbaums Stores in NY
64. Walmart Nationwide
65. Wegman's Stores in NY and PA
66. Weis Stores in MD, NY, NJ, PA, and WV
67. Winn-Dixie Stores in AL, FL, GA, LA and MS

 

Salmonella Saintpaul from Mexican Cucumbers Distributed to Retailers and Restaurants

The Salmonella Saintpaul outbreak linked to cucumbers has grown to 81 CDC-confirmed cases.  The investigation of the outbreak has found a link between illnesses and cucumbers grown by Daniel Cardenas Izabal and Miracle Greenhouse of Culiacán, Mexico, and distributed by Tricar Sales, Inc. of Rio Rico, Arizona. These cucumbers were sold to retailers and restaurants.

Attorneys Fred Pritzker, Brendan Flaherty and Ryan Osterholm are leading our national food safety law firm's investigation of this outbreak. The are providing free consultations to people sickened in this outbreak.