E. coli Outbreak Litigation - $500,000,000 Recovered in 18 Years

e-coli-small.jpegE. 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:

Related Posts

Comments (2)

Read through and enter the discussion by using the form at the end
Ann Quinn, consumer - October 12, 2010 5:22 PM

That's a pretty impressive damages recovery number, Mr. Marler, $500-million. I'm sure you and many in your law firm, Marler-Clark, have earned a great deal suing on behalf of your injured clients.

That's also a pretty darn broad list of lawsuits, from Cargill to JBS Swift to Dole to fast food restaurants and grocery stores, from coast to coast, California to New York, and almost everywhere inbetween.

You know, Mr. Marler, as a food consumer in the United States feeding a family, kids to grandkids, I don't care if you retire a billionaire, as long as you continue to be a thorn in the side of negligent food producers and food retailers because no one else is doing enough to make our food safe to eat including unfortunately our government..

Auto Accident Attorneys Utah - November 18, 2010 7:57 AM

I have a case involving ecoli from buffalo meat. Have you seen anything like this?

I am a lawyer in Utah. Rex Bush 801 619 3771. Feel free to email or call.

Post a comment

Fill out this form to add a comment to the discussion
I'd like to leave a comment. is
,
is
,
is
is

Watch How Safe is your Burger?: KCTS 9 Connects on PBS. See more from KCTS 9 Lead Story.

Request Free Information

Bill Marler Twitter Feed

    See More