The hepatitis A outbreak linked to the Milan, Illinois McDonald’s continues to grow with 20 people now diagnosed with hepatitis A. Eleven of them were hospitalized.

The Milan McDonald’s outbreak was allegedly caused by food handlers at the restaurant who were infected with the virus. According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, one of the infected employees worked on seven days in July and the other one was diagnosed in June but not reported until July 13.

Hepatitis A is spread through the fecal matter of infected persons. In this case, the infected food handlers allegedly did not wash their hands well enough after having a bowel movement and then touched food that was consumed by McDonald’s patrons.

Restaurants are liable to patrons for illnesses, including hepatitis, caused by food provided by the restaurant. This means that those sickened with hepatitis A after eating at the Milan McDonald’s may have claims for compensation. Compensation for hepatitis A infections depends on the facts and may include the following:

• Medical expenses
• Lost income
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Disability
• Loss of quality of life
  

Hepatitis A can cause death. In those cases, the families have wrongful death claims against the party responsible for the illness.

If you or a loved one has been sickened in this outbreak, please contact our law firm. We have handled hepatitis A cases and have a national reputation in the area of food poisoning litigation.

Note: For those who ate at the Milan McDonald’s and have not been diagnosed with hepatitis A, the Rock Island County Health Department, with assistance from IPHMAS and the Illinois Medical Emergency Response Team (IMERT) and the Illinois Nurse Volunteer Emergency Needs Team (INVENT), is providing free vaccines and immune globulin shots tomorrow, Tuesday July 21, 2009 (vaccines and shots were also administered today):

When: Tuesday, July 21, 2009 from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. Additional clinics will be held if needed.
Where: Rock Island High School
1400 25th Avenue, Rock Island, IL
What: Hepatitis A vaccinations and immune globulin will be administered at no charge.
Who: Eligible recipients are those with the following criteria:
Consumed food or beverages at McDonald’s Restaurant in Milan, IL
**** From July 6 through July 10 and July 13 and 14, 2009****
Those eating on July 11 and 12 were not exposed
Those who consumed products from this restaurant during this time period will receive either hepatitis A vaccine or immune globulin, not both.
• Ages 1-40 years will receive hepatitis A vaccine
• Under one year of age , and over 40 years of age will receive immune globulin
If the person has previously received two doses of hepatitis A vaccine, no further immunization or immune globulin is necessary – they are already protected from hepatitis A. In addition, if someone has been ill in the past from hepatitis A, they would not become ill from it again – their body would have developed immunity. If a person receives this vaccine/ immune globulin more than 14 days after they have eaten at Milan McDonald’s, it may not provide protection.

Labels: hepatitis A, lawyer, McDonalds