Today Marler Clark filed six lawsuits on behalf of clients related to the 2017 I.M. Healthy brand SoyNut Butter E. coli O157:H7 outbreak. Of the six plaintiffs, three are minors who contracted acute kidney failure, hemolytic uremic syndrome, from their E. coli O157:H7 infections. All six of the plaintiffs were hospitalized for multiple days or weeks.  Four lawsuits were filed in California, one in Washington and one in Wisconsin.

In March 2017, the FDA and CDC, along with state and local authorities, linked a multi-state outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 to I.M. Healthy SoyNut Butter. 32 people were sickened and 12 were hospitalized due to their infections. The soy nut butter was produced jointly by the SoyNut Butter Company and Dixie Dew Products Inc., at a facility owned by Dixie Dew in Kentucky. During an investigation of the facility, the FDA found grossly insanitary conditions with soy nut butter buildup on the floors, walls, and ceilings from previous production runs and fly infestation.  Jars of soy nut butter tested positive for E. coli O157:H7.

I.M. Healthy and Dixie Dew went bankrupt after using the total of their insurance in settlements to the victims. The Bankruptcy Court Evaluator valued all claims at $70 million. The remaining medical bills and costs now fall to the retailers.

“We have tried for over a year to work with these retailers and suppliers to fairly compensate their customers, however, Target, Kroger (Fred Meyer), Safeway and their suppliers, Kehe and World Finer, are more concerned with pointing fingers at each other than treating their customers with respect. The time has come for a judge and jury to hold them responsible,” stated Marler Clark managing partner, Bill Marler.

Marler Clark, The Food Safety Law Firm, is the nation’s leading law firm representing victims of E. coli O157:H7 outbreaks and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). The E. coli O157:H7 lawyers of Marler Clark have represented thousands of victims of E. coli O157:H7 and other foodborne illness infections and have recovered over $650 million for clients. Marler Clark is the only law firm in the nation with a practice focused exclusively on foodborne illness litigation.  Our E. coli O157:H7 lawyers have litigated E. coli O157:H7 and HUS cases stemming from outbreaks traced to ground beef, raw milk, lettuce, spinach, sprouts, and other food products.  The law firm has brought E. coliO157:H7 lawsuits against such companies as Jack in the Box, Dole, ConAgra, Cargill, and Jimmy John’s.  We have proudly represented such E. coli O157:H7 victims as Brianne KinerStephanie Smith and Linda Rivera.

For copies of the complaints: Conformed Complaint (Klingelhoffer)Conformed Complaint (Leavitt-Garcia)Conformed Complaint (Simmons)Conformed Complaint (Vanderby)Stuller – Complaint KeheWeber – Complaint FRED MYERS

To talk with Bill, please contact Lauren Fricke at 1-206-346-1888 or lfricke@marlerclark.com.