In June of 2007, United Food Group, LLC (UFG) recalled 5.7 million pounds of ground beef products after a joint investigation into an E. coli O157:H7 outbreak by Colorado and California health officials in conjunction with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) led to the conclusion that UFG ground beef was the source of the outbreak. The California Department of Health Services, Colorado Department of Health, and CDC reported 14 illnesses associated with the outbreak: 6 in Arizona, 3 in California, 2 in Colorado, 1 in Idaho, 1 in Utah, and 1 in Wyoming.
Marler Clark filed suit against United Food Group (UFG) on June 14, 2007 on behalf of a four-year-old California child who became ill with E. coli O157:H7 and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) after eating UFG ground beef. The firm represented several other families who were impacted by the UFG ground beef E. coli O157:H7 outbreak and recall, including three others who developed HUS. In total, Marler Clark represented nine cases. To date, eight have been settled.