Salmonella Lawyer & Attorney : Marler Clark : Salmonella Blog

SEATTLE, WA (August 3, 2007)—The owners of Pars Cove Persian Cuisine were named as the defendant in two more lawsuits filed yesterday in Cook County Circuit Court in Chicago. The lawsuits were filed on behalf of three plaintiffs all of whom became ill with Salmonella infections days after eating at the Pars Cove booth at the Taste of Chicago festival. All plaintiffs are represented by Marler Clark LLP, a Seattle-based law firm, and the Chicago injury firm Newland, Newland, and Newland. 

Plaintiffs in the lawsuits are:

• Chicago Heights residents Dick and Christine Dean. Both Dick and Christine fell ill with Salmonella Heidelberg infections on July 6, two days after eating hummus shirazi at the Pars Cove booth at the Taste of Chicago festival. On July 12, after hearing reports of an outbreak through media reports, Mr. Dean went to the emergency room for treatment. He was admitted to the hospital, where he remained through July 17. While he was hospitalized, Mr. Dean submitted a stool sample that cultured positive for Salmonella Heidelberg. Both Dick and Christine missed considerable time from work while they were ill.

• Chicago resident Leon Greenberg. Mr. Greenberg and his girlfriend attended the Taste of Chicago festival on July 4. While there, they sampled hummus shirazi from the Pars Cove booth. On July 6, both Mr. Greenberg and his girlfriend became ill with symptoms of Salmonella infection. Mr. Greenberg’s illness continued through the next week, and he sought medical treatment on July 14, after learning about the Salmonella outbreak linked to the Taste of Chicago festival. Mr. Greenberg submitted a stool sample for testing by CDPH, which later returned positive for Salmonella Heidelberg. Mr. Greenberg, a chef and culinary student, was unable to return to work or school until he tested negative for Salmonella twice. On August 1, Mr. Greenberg was notified by CDPH that his second stool sample had returned negative for Salmonella, and he was allowed to return to work.

“Health officials have confirmed 132 cases of Salmonella Heidelberg in people who attended the Taste of Chicago festival and ate food from the Pars Cove booth,” said Drew Falkenstein of Marler Clark, who together with the Newland firm filed another lawsuit against Pars Cove on July 24. “People made ill during this outbreak deserve to be compensated for their damages.”

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ROCHESTER, NY (February 16, 2006) – A New York family filed suit against ConAgra this afternoon in United States District Court for the Western District of New York. The lawsuit was filed by Marler Clark, the Seattle law firm that filed a similar lawsuit on behalf of a Missouri family early Friday, and Rochester, New York, attorney Paul Nunes. Plaintiffs in the lawsuit are Nicolas Avalone and Tracy Hubright of Ontario, New York.

Mr. Avalone and the couple’s son are two of at least 300 people who have become ill with Salmonella infections after eating Peter Pan or Great Value peanut butter that was produced in ConAgra’s Georgia plant. All Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butter with a lot code of 2111 was recalled on February 14, after an investigation by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed that the peanut butter was the source of a nationwide outbreak of Salmonella illnesses.

“We have bee contacted by over 500 people who experienced gastrointestinal illnesses for months, but most – like Nicholas and Tracy – never considered that peanut butter could be a source of illness until they heard about the recall,” said Bill Marler, managing partner of Marler Clark.

“We’ve worked with Paul Nunes and Underberg & Kessler on Salmonella outbreak cases in the past, and are happy to be working with Paul again,” Marler continued.

BACKGROUND: Marler Clark and Underberg & Kessler together represented 70 clients in Salmonella claims against the Brook-Lea Country Club in Rochester, New York. The firms are currently working together on cases involving E. coli and cryptosporidium outbreaks. See also www.Salmonellablog.com and www.foodborneillness.com.

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September 26,2006
FinanceVisor.com
A lawsuit was filed today against Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., the company whose Greenwood, Indiana, store was the source of a Salmonella outbreak. The lawsuit was filed in Johnson County Superior Court on behalf of a Greenwood resident whose son became violently ill and was hospitalized after consuming foods purchased at the Wal-Mart deli. The lawsuit was filed by Marler Clark, a Seattle-based law firm that has represented hundreds of victims of Salmonella outbreaks. (FVNEWSWIRE Sep 8, 2006)

Los Angeles, CA (FV Newswire) - A lawsuit was filed today against Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., the company whose Greenwood, Indiana, store was the source of a Salmonella outbreak between May and August, 2006. The lawsuit was filed in Johnson County Superior Court (Case No. 41D03-0609-CT00062, Johnson Superior Court #3) on behalf of Ryan Merritt, a Greenwood resident whose son became violently ill and was hospitalized after consuming foods purchased at the Wal-Mart deli. Mr. Merritt is represented by the Seattle law firm of Marler Clark, widely recognized as the nation’s leading law firm representing victims of foodborne illnesses, and Greenwood attorney John M. Reames.

In the complaint, attorneys allege that Mr. Merritt purchased ham and cheese from the Wal-Mart deli on August 13. Mr. Merritt’s son, Noah, consumed the ham and cheese in the subsequent days and became ill on August 18. Noah’s symptoms became severe by August 20, and he was seen in the Emergency Room at St. Francis Hospital in Indianapolis on August 22. Noah was subsequently admitted to the hospital, and was released on August 24. While hospitalized, Noah provided a stool sample that tested positive for Salmonella.

“The Indiana State Health Department reported that at least 84 customers who ate foods from the deli and bakery departments at Wal-Mart from May to August were part of this Salmonella outbreak,” said William Marler, attorney for Mr. Merritt. “The longevity of this outbreak suggests that it was not the result of a one-time food handling error, but rather the consequence of repeat food code violations over a period of four months. The spread of foodborne illness from infected workers can be prevented by proper hygiene - especially handwashing.”

An Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) investigation into the Salmonella outbreak led ISDH to believe that infected food workers who did not exhibit symptoms of Salmonellosis, or who were a-symptomatic carriers of the bacterium, contaminated the deli and bakery foods.

“We’ve seen this before and will see it again,” Marler continued. “Businesses who fail to enforce strict handwashing policies will continue to be the source of outbreaks, and will be held responsible for their failures through the legal system.”

Marler’s law firm, Marler Clark, has represented thousands of victims of Salmonella outbreaks. The firm recently negotiated settlements on behalf of 138 individuals who became ill with Salmonella infections after eating contaminated tomatoes served at Sheetz convenience stores in Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and Ohio in 2004. Marler Clark represented 50 individuals in litigation against Chili’s after the chain’s Vernon Hills, Illinois restaurant was traced as the source of a Salmonella outbreak in 2003. For more information about Marler Clark and Salmonella litigation, visit Marler Clark's Salmonella news page.

To reach Mr. Marler for comment, please contact him at (206) 346-1890.

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