Salmonella Lawsuit Filed Against Wal-Mart

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.

The complaint alleges that Mr. Merritt purchased ham and cheese from the Wal-Mart deli. Mr. Merritt’s son, Noah, consumed the ham and cheese in the subsequent days and became ill; Noah’s symptoms became severe, and he was seen in the Emergency Room at St. Francis Hospital in Indianapolis. Noah was subsequently admitted to the hospital; 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. “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.”

More on Wal-Mart and Salmonela

Indiana State health officials over the last two weeks reported that the source of the recent salmonella outbreak as the Wal-Mart in Greenwood. The deli and bakery departments were identified as the source of the recent salmonella outbreak in northern Johnson and southern Marion counties.

The likely cause of the outbreak was determined to be ill workers handling food.

Currently, 84 cases of salmonella have been reported to be part of the outbreak, which began in May 2006.  Marler Clark has been contacted by over a dozen sickened individuals.  A lawsuit was filed last week on behalf of one family.
 

Salmonella lawsuit filed against Wal-Mart

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 by Marler Clark and Greenwood attorney John M Reames 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.

The 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, and he was admitted to the ER at St. Francis Hospital in Indianapolis. While hospitalized, Noah provided a stool sample that tested positive for Salmonella.

An Indiana State Department of Health 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.”