With the Ohio E. coli O157:H7 outbreak hitting 61 and likely to go higher, it might be good to take a look at the history of E. coli litigtion in the United States.
E. coli O157:H7 was identified for the first time at the CDC in 1975, but it was not until seven years later, in 1982, that E. coli O157:H7 was conclusively determined to be a cause of enteric disease. Following outbreaks of foodborne illness that involved several cases of bloody diarrhea, E. coli O157:H7 was firmly associated with hemorrhagic colitis.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated in 1999 that 73,000 cases of E. coli O157:H7 occur each year in the United States. Approximately 2,000 people are hospitalized, and 60 people die as a direct result of E. coli O157:H7 infections and complications. The majority of infections are thought to be foodborne-related, although E. coli O157:H7 accounts for less than 1% of all foodborne illness. The CDC also estimates that non-O157 STECs (like O26, O45, 0103, O111, O121, and O145) cause another 36,700 illnesses, 1,100 hospitalizations and 30 deaths in America each year. E. coli is the leading cause of Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS).
While the majority of foodborne illness outbreaks associated with E. coli O157:H7 have involved ground beef, such outbreaks have also involved unpasteurized apple and orange juice, unpasteurized milk, alfalfa sprouts, lettuce, spinach and water. An outbreak can also be caused by person-to-person transmission of the bacteria in homes and in settings like daycare centers, hospitals, and nursing homes. We have been involved in representing families of children who have suffered from this bacterium in the following cases:
- AFG / Supervalu E. coli Outbreak Lawsuits – Minnesota (2000)
- AgVenture Farms Petting Zoo E. coli O157:H7 Outbreak Lawsuits – Florida (2005)
- Aunt Mid’s Lettuce E. coli Outbreak Lawsuits – Michigan, Illinois, and Ontario (2008)
- Bauer Meat E. coli Litigation – Georgia (1998)
- Baugher’s Apple Cider E. coli Outbreak Lawsuit – Maryland (2010)
- Big Fresno Fair E. coli Outbreak Lawsuit – California (2005)
- BJ’s Wholesale Club E. coli Litigation – New York and New Jersey (2002)
- Bravo Farms Gouda Cheese E. coli Outbreak Lawsuits – Southwestern US (2010)
- Camp Bournedale-South Shore Meats E. coli Outbreak Litigation – Rhode Island, Massachusetts (2009)
- Cargill E. coli Outbreak Lawsuits – Minnesota, Tennessee (2007)
- Carneco / Sam’s Club E. coli Outbreak Lawsuits – Wisconsin & Minnesota (2004)
- CCC Alternative Learning Daycare E. coli Outbreak lawsuit – Texas (2002)
- China Buffet E. coli Outbreak Lawsuit – Minnesota (2001)
- ConAgra Ground Beef E. coli Outbreak Lawsuits – Nationwide (2002)
- Country Cottage Restaurant E coli O111 Outbreak Lawsuits – Oklahoma (2008)
- Cozy Valley Raw Milk E. coli Outbreak Lawsuit – Washington State (2011)
- Crossroads Farm Petting Zoo E. coli Outbreak Lawsuits – North Carolina (2004)
- Cuyahoga County E. coli outbreak – Ohio (2009)
- Dee Creek Farm E. coli Outbreak Lawsuits – Washington & Oregon (2005)
- Dole Lettuce E. coli Outbreak Lawsuits – Minnesota, Wisconsin, Oregon (2005)
- Dole Spinach E. coli Outbreak Lawsuits – Nationwide (2006)
- Emmpak E. coli Outbreak Lawsuits – Wisconsin (2002)
- Excel E. coli Outbreak Lawsuit – Georgia (2001)
- Fairbank Farms E. coli Outbreak Lawsuits – Nationwide (2009)
- Finley Elementary School E. coli Outbreak Lawsuit – Washington (2001)
- Flanders Provision Co. E. coli Outbreak Litigation – Colorado, Nationwide (2005)
- Forest Ranch Fire Department Fundraiser E. coli Outbreak Lawsuits – California (2008)
- Freshway Lettuce E. coli Outbreak Lawsuits – Multistate (2010)
- Fresno Meat Market E. coli Outbreak Lawsuits – California (2007)
- Gold Coast Produce E. coli Outbreak Lawsuits – California (2003)
- Golden Corral E. coli Outbreak Lawsuits – Nebraska (1999)
- Habaneros E. coli Outbreak Lawsuits – Missouri (2003)
- Herb Depot & Autumn Olives Farm Raw Milk E. coli Outbreak Lawsuits – Missouri (2008)
- Interstate Meat E. coli Outbreak Lawsuits – Oregon, Washington & Idaho (2007)
- Ixtapa Mexican Restaurant E. coli Outbreak Lawsuits – Washington (2008)
- Jack in the Box E. coli Outbreak Lawsuits – Western States (1993)
- JBS Swift E. coli Outbreak Lawsuits – Nationwide (2009)
- Jimmy John’s and Sprouts Extraordinaire E. coli Outbreak Lawsuits – Colorado (2008)
- Jimmy John’s Clover Sprouts E. coli O26 Outbreak Lawsuits – Multistate (2012)
- Karl Ehmer Meats E. coli Outbreak Lawsuit – New Jersey (2000)
- KFC E. coli Outbreak Lawsuit – Ohio (1999)
- Kid’s Korner Daycare E. coli Outbreak Lawsuit – Missouri (2004)
- Kindercare E. coli Outbreak Lawsuit – California (2000)
- King Garden Restaurant E. coli Outbreak Lawsuits – Ohio (2002)
- Lane County Fair E. coli Outbreak Lawsuits – Oregon (2002)
- National Steak and Poultry E. coli O157:H7 Outbreak Lawsuits – Nationwide (2009)
- Nebraska Beef E. coli Outbreak – Nationwide (2008)
- Nebraska Beef E. coli Outbreak Lawsuits – Minnesota (2006)
- Nestle Toll House Cookie Dough E. coli Outbreak Lawsuits – Nationwide (2009)
- Odwalla E. coli Outbreak Lawsuits – Western States (1996)
- Olive Garden E. coli Outbreak Lawsuit – Oregon (2005)
- Organic Pastures E. coli Outbreak Lawsuits – California (2006)
- Parsley E. coli Outbreak Lawsuit – Washington & Oregon (2005)
- Peninsula Village E. coli Outbreak Lawsuit – Tennessee (1999)
- PM Beef Holdings, Lunds & Byerly’s E. coli Outbreak Lawsuits – Minnesota (2007)
- Robeson Schools E. coli Outbreak Litigation – North Carolina (2001)
- Robinswood Pointe Senior Living Facility E. coli Outbreak Litigation – Washington (2005)
- Rochester Meat Company E. coli Outbreak Lawsuits – Wisconsin, California (2008)
- Rocky Mountain Natural Meats Bison E. coli Outbreak Lawsiut – Colorado, New York (2010)
- Romaine Lettuce E. coli Outbreak Lawsuits – Washington State (2008)
- S & S Foods – Goshen Boy Scout Camp E. coli Outbreak Lawsuits – Virginia (2008)
- Schnucks Romaine Lettuce E. coli Outbreak Lawsuit – Missouri, Multistate (2011)
- Sizzler E. coli Outbreak Lawsuits – Wisconsin (2000)
- Sodexho Spinach E. coli Outbreak Lawsuits – California (2003)
- Spokane Produce E. coli Outbreak Lawsuits – Washington, Oregon, Idaho (2002)
- Stop & Shop E. coli Case – New Hampshire (2007)
- Taco John’s E. coli Outbreak Lawsuits – Iowa and Minnesota (2006)
- Topps and Price Chopper E. coli Case – New York (2005)
- Topps Meats E. coli Outbreak Lawsuits – Nationwide (2007)
- Tyson Fresh Meats E. coli Lawsuit – Ohio (2011)
- United Food Group E. coli Outbreak Lawsuits – Western States (2007)
- Valley Meats E. coli Outbreak Lawsuits – Ohio, Illinois, Pennsylvania (2009)
- Wendy’s E. coli Outbreak Lawsuits – Oregon (2000)
- Wendy’s E. coli Outbreak Lawsuits – Utah (2006)
- White Water Water Park E. coli Outbreak Lawsuits – Georgia (1998)
Marler Clark, The Food Safety Law Firm, is the nation’s leading law firm representing victims of E. coli outbreaks and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). The E. coli lawyers of Marler Clark have represented thousands of victims of E. coli and other foodborne illness infections and have recovered over $600 million for clients. Marler Clark is the only law firm in the nation with a practice focused exclusively on foodborne illness litigation. Our E. coli lawyers have litigated E. coli and HUS cases stemming from outbreaks traced to ground beef, raw milk, lettuce, spinach, sprouts, and other food products. The law firm has brought E. coli lawsuits against such companies as Jack in the Box, Dole, ConAgra, Cargill, and Jimmy John’s. We have proudly represented such victims as Brianne Kiner, Stephanie Smith and Linda Rivera.