Personal Injury and Wrongful Death

Hepatitis A and Pizza Ranch Lawsuit FAQ

PritzkerOlsen, P.A. is a Minnesota law firm with a concentration in the area of foodborne illness litigation. The firm is a national law firm and is currently representing victims of a hepatitis A outbreak linked to an Arizona restaurant. Fred Pritzker has gained a national reputation in this area and has been interviewed by the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and other publications. In recognition of his accomplishments, other lawyers have selected him for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America. To contact an attorney at PritzkerOlsen, P.A. about a Pizza Ranch lawsuit, please call toll-free at 1-888-377-8900, e-mail Fred Pritzker or submit the PritzkerOlsen, P.A. online consultation form.

Question: In foodborne illness cases, who is responsible under the law for compensating injured people?
It depends upon who is responsible for contaminating the food. In the case of the Pizza Ranch, the investigation is ongoing and no determination of responsibility has been made. Hepatitis A contamination is frequently caused by the failure of restaurant employees to wash their hands. Contamination can also occur as a result of contaminated products. For example, in a major hepatitis outbreak involving Chi Chi’s Restaurant the cause of the contamination was green onions.

Question: What is an “incubation period” and how long is the incubation period for hepatitis A?
“Incubation period” means the length of time between being infected with a pathogen and the appearance of symptoms. For hepatitis A, the incubation period is usually around 30 days, but can be from 10 to 50 days.

Question: How long are people with hepatitis A infectious?
The infectious period for hepatitis A is from two weeks before jaundice occurs through the first week of jaundice. This means that someone can transmit hepatitis A for two weeks before they even know they have hepatitis A. This atypically-long infectious period combined with the long incubation period makes determining the source of hepatitis A infections extremely difficult.

Question: How is hepatitis A spread by a restaurant employee?
If a food handler at a restaurant who has hepatitis A does not wash his or her hands well after going to the bathroom, any feces left on the hands can get into patrons’ food. Because the hepatitis A virus colonizes in human feces, anyone eating the infected food handler’s feces will consume hepatitis A and thereby be infected.

Question: Is Pizza Ranch liable for injuries resulting from the exposure of patrons to hepatitis A?
Yes. Restaurants are responsible for any injury caused by the food they serve. Even if a specific food handler directly caused the harm, the restaurant is liable for the harm.

Question: If I do not get hepatitis A but I had to have an immune globulin shot, do I have a case against the Pizza Ranch?
Yes, you have a case against the Pizza Ranch for compensation for having to have the shot and for the emotional distress caused by not knowing whether or not you have hepatitis A. The incubation period for hepatitis A can be as long as 2 months. That is a long time to have to worry about getting hepatitis A. Contact the Minneapolis law firm of PritzkerOlsen, P.A. for representation.

Question: If I test positive for hepatitis A, what compensation can I get from the Pizza Ranch?
If you test positive for hepatitis A, you may have a claim for medical expenses, pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of income and other damages. Contact PritzkerOlsen, P.A. for representation in a Pizza Ranch lawsuit.

Question: Do I need to have leftovers from the Pizza Ranch to file a lawsuit?
No, you do not need to have leftovers to file a claim against the Pizza Ranch. If you have record of eating at the restaurant and you test positive for hepatitis A (or do not test positive but needed an immune globulin shot), you may have a claim against the Pizza Ranch.


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