peanuts.jpgAccording to press reports, late yesterday afternoon a federal judge recommended approval of a $12 million settlement for those sickened or killed in last year’s salmonella outbreak tied to a Virginia-based peanut processor.  This includes nearly 50 families represented by Marler Clark.  

U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael Urbanski issued his recommendation late Wednesday for the payments for the more than 120 personal injury claims related to the outbreak. The settlement must now be approved by a bankruptcy court judge.  The outbreak traced to Lynchburg-based Peanut Corp. of America’s plants in Georgia and Texas was linked to the illnesses of about 700 people and the deaths of at least nine.  Peanut Corp. filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy to dissolve amid fallout from the outbreak.  The money provided by the company’s insurers will be distributed based on the extent of victims’ illnesses.

The settlements reached involved only 125 or of the 714 culture-confirmed cases. It did include all nine of the death claims. Frankly, I am not sure where the near 600 others went. That would be interesting study to see why they did not come forward. The awards to the 125 were partially funded by PCA’s 12M and partially by Kellogg. The amounts on all the claims were based upon prior verdicts and settlements in Salmonella cases with a view to the law of where the claimant resided (some states allow compensation for one thing, but not another). I thought the awards were fair.

And, Stewart Parnell is still not in Jail.