E. Coli in Ground Beef Caused Two Deaths and Sickened Hundreds
A deadly E. coli outbreak, which has killed two and sickened many across the nation, has been traced to a large producer of ground beef who stopped testing certain ingredients years ago under pressure from beef suppliers. According to a news report in the New York Times, AFA Foods specifically stopped testing of the ground beef trimmings. The company recalled more than 500,000 pounds of ground beef last month after it was linked to an outbreak that has caused two fatalities and sickened about 500 others. The Times also reported that there has been a surge in E. coli outbreaks in ground beef. There have been 18 outbreaks since 2007.
E. coli is a potentially lethal food-borne illness. As a skilled Seattle products liability attorney, Kirk Bernard knows that such food poisoning can typically cause abdominal cramping, vomiting, nausea, diarrhea with bloody stools and sometimes, fever. In some cases, victims develop severe complications known as Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS), which can cause life-threatening kidney failure. Most of these HUS cases can apparently develop after several days of diarrhea due to infection with a specific strain of E. coli. HUS can lead to serious kidney damage or even death. E. coli infections can also leave victims with lifelong health problems.
If food-borne illnesses occur as a result of negligence on the part of the food manufacturer or processor, then those parties could be held responsible for the injuries endured by food poisoning victims. In such cases, victims can seek compensation to cover medical expenses, loss of wages, cost of hospitalization, pain and suffering, emotional distress and other related damages. Food poisoning can also occur after you consume contaminated food at restaurants. In such cases, those establishments can also be held liable for your injuries. If you have suffered food-poisoning as a result of someone else’s negligence or willful conduct, please contact the experienced Seattle personal injury attorneys at The Bernard Law Firm to find out more about your legal rights and options.
Source:http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/13/us/13ecoli.html?_r=2&partner=rss&emc=rss
