Marler Clark, the nation’s leading law firm representing victims of foodborne illness outbreaks, and Fayetteville lawyer Steven Lawrence filed a lawsuit today against the Holiday Inn Bordeaux. The lawsuit was filed in Cumberland County Superior Court on behalf of Fayetteville resident Lucille Thompson, who alleges she became ill with a Salmonella infection after eating food purchased from the Holiday Inn.
According to the complaint, Lucille Thompson was one of at least 70 people who fell ill with Salmonella infections during an outbreak Cumberland County health officials traced to the Holiday Inn. Court documents state that the plaintiff purchased and consumed food at Café Bordeaux in the Holiday Inn on May 9 and fell ill with symptoms of Salmonella infection, including agonizing abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea in the days following her meal. Ms. Thompson alleges that she sought medical treatment for her illness on May 12 and received a prescription for antibiotics as well as intravenous rehydration therapy; she is still not fully recovered from her illness.
“My client spent Mother’s Day in bed, too ill to even talk to her children on the phone,” said attorney Bill Marler. “That shouldn’t happen because of something you ate.”
Last week Marler called on the Holiday Inn to pay Salmonella outbreak victims’ medical bills and lost wages. “Even for people with health insurance, medical bills can be a financial strain,” he said. “The Holiday Inn’s failure to produce a safe product impacted not only their physical health but also their financial health.”
Marler’s firm has worked with local North Carolina lawyers to represent North Carolina residents in outbreaks traced to ground beef, fairs and petting zoos, cookie dough, butter, ground turkey, peanut butter, pot pies, barbeque, tempeh, turkey, eggs and food served at restaurants. These include lawsuits filed in North Carolina on behalf of victims of the following E. coli, Salmonella or hepatitis A outbreaks:
2004 North Carolina State Fair Petting Zoo E. coli Outbreak [1]
2011 Olive Garden Hepatitis A Exposure [2]
2012 Cleveland County Fair E. coli Outbreak [3]
2012 Lancaster’s BBQ Salmonella Outbreak [4]
2012 Smiling Hara Tempeh Salmonella Outbreak [5]
2012 Toast of Dilworth Salmonella Outbreak [6]
2012 Sunland Peanut Butter Salmonella Outbreak [7]
BACKGROUND: William Marler is managing partner of Marler Clark, The Food Safety Law Firm, the nation’s leading law firm representing victims of Salmonella and other foodborne illness outbreaks. The Salmonella lawyers at Marler Clark have represented thousands of victims of foodborne illness outbreaks and have recovered over $600 million for clients. Our Salmonella lawyers have litigated cases stemming from outbreaks traced to foods such as peanut butter, sprouts, tomatoes and restaurant food.
1. Wake County Superior Court (Case No. 04-CVS-17478)
2. Cumberland County Superior Court (Case No. 11-CVS-7060)
3. Cleveland County Superior Court (Case No. 12 CVS-2254)
4. Iredell County Superior Court (Case No. 12-CVS-01420)
5. North Carolina Federal District Court (Case No. 12-CV-152)
6. Mecklenburg County Superior Court (Case No. 12-CVD-8507)
7. Nash County Superior Court (Case No. 12 CVS 1706)