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First Lawsuit in E.coli O103 Ground Beef Outbreak Filed by Pritzker Hageman Law FirmNational food safety law firm Pritzker Hageman, filed the first lawsuit against K2D Foods, doing business as Colorado Premium Foods, in the E.coli O103 ground beef outbreak. Attorneys Brendan Flaherty and Ryan Osterholm filed the suit on Wednesday, April 24th, 2019, in United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky. The lawsuit (case number 6:19-cv-00106-REW) was filed on behalf of Kentucky resident Melanie Carmicle, who suffered an E.coli O103 infection from contaminated ground beef. As a result of her E.coli O103 infection, Ms. Carmicle developed complications including acute seizures and kidney failure. She continues to require follow-up care, including treatment by a nephrologist. Attorney Ryan Osterholm said that "Ms. Carmicle is lucky to be alive after contracting E.coli O103 from Colorado Premium ground beef. We intend to find out how so much adultured ground beef made it to consumers, and why it took so long to get to the bottom of the issue. My fear is we will see many more cases before the dust settles. I just hope no one dies before that happens." A bacterial pathogen that causes illness in humans, E.coli O103 is a Shiga-toxin producing serotype that reproduces in the digestive tracts of plant-eating animals. According to the USDA's FSIS, non-O157 serotypes like O103 are known to be virulent and may even survive typical cooking temperatures. In 2011, FSIS issued a final determination that non-O157 serotypes are adulterants in non-intact beef. About the Pritzker Hageman Food Safety Legal Team Ryan Osterholm (@ecolilawyer) is a lawyer who has devoted his entire career to representing food poisoning victims. He has represented individuals sickened in virtually every major foodborne illness outbreak and recovered millions on their behalf. He believes that getting legal accountability from food suppliers helps promote a safer food supply by disincentivizing practices that make consumers sick. Brendan Flaherty (@mntriallawyer) is an acclaimed trial lawyer and food safety advocate. Fueled by the core principles of trust, honesty, and passion, he believes that big food companies "can never match the passion of a great trial attorney." His recent verdicts include a $7.5 million dollar verdict for a girl who suffered kidney failure after an E.coli infection, and a $6.7 million verdict on behalf of a young boy who suffered a severe Salmonella infection. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190424006168/en/ |
