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Minnesota E. coli Lawsuit

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Our Minnesota law firm has filed several Minnesota E. coli lawsuits and recovered millions for E. coli victims and their families, including those with HUS and the families of people who died. We have a national E. coli litigation practice and have appeared on the CBS Evening News, FOX's "Geraldo Live" and local news programs on KARE (NBC), KSTP (ABC) and WCCO (CBS).

In order to win an E. coli lawsuit involving a food product (ground beef, lettuce, spinach, apple juice, raw milk, cookie dough, pizza), three elements must be proved:

The food product was contaminated with E. coli (usually E. coli O157:H7).
The contamination caused E. coli poisoning.
The person suffered damage as a result of the E. coli poisoning.

In order to prove the second element, causation, it is important that you test positive for E. coli O157:H7, and that further testing shows that the genetic fingerprint of the E. coli O157:H7 that made you sick matches the genetic fingerprint of E. coli found in the food product. Read about food poisoning and medical treatment.
Minnesota E. coli Lawsuit: Victim Compensation
For you to get the maximum amount of compensation, it is necessary to determine all liable parties. In E. coli O157 cases, liable parties can include any of the following:

Slaughterhouse
Grower
Processor (for example, the company that grinds the beef parts to make hamburger)
Distributor
Retailer (under certain circumstances)
Restaurant or other eating establishment
Food service company
Others

E. coli victim compensation includes amounts for the following:

Medical expenses
Lost income
Cost of care
Pain and suffering
Emotional distress
Disability
Loss of quality of life
Other damages

Victim compensation includes an estimate of future expenses, losses and pain and suffering. Family members may also have a claim for damages.

In cases of the wrongful death of the E. coli victim, the family has a claim under Minnesota's wrongful death statute.

Minnesota Cities: Our Minnesota E. coli attorneys represent E coli victims througout MN, including Twin Cities, Minneapolis, St. Paul, Rochester, Duluth, Moorhead, Mankato, Brainerd, Bloomington, Eagan, Eden Prarie, Apple Valley, Maple Grove, Edina, Plymouth, Minnetonka, Stillwater, Thief River Falls, Bemidji, Grand Rapids, Austin, Worthington, Woodbury, Maplewood, Golden Valley, Shoreview, Blaine, Anoka, South St. Paul, White Bear Lake, Roseville, St. Cloud, Arden Hills, Brooklyn Park, Forest Lake.

Below is a press release regarding the filing of the first Minnesota E. coli lawsuit in the E. coli outbreak linked to Dole lettuce. This is dated content, but it provides some information about the firm and our experience with Minnesota E. coli lawsuits.

Pritzker Olsen Files First Lawsuit Arising from
Minnesota E. Coli Outbreak Associated with Dole

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Fred Pritzker
Pritzker | Olsen, P.A.
(612)338-0202
info@pritzkerlaw.com

(Minneapolis - October 14, 2005) -- A Minneapolis law firm with a nationally-recognized practice in foodborne illness litigation has filed the first lawsuit arising from the recent E.coli outbreak associated with Dole pre-packaged salads. The lawsuit, filed in Hennepin County, Minnesota, was brought on behalf of a suburban Minneapolis woman and alleges personal injury due to an outbreak of E. coli 0157:H7. The suit includes eleven counts against Dole Fresh Vegetables and its parent company, Dole Food Company, the producer of pre-packaged salad products linked to the outbreak.

On October 2, 2005 the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a nation-wide warning about the following salad products which have since been recalled by Dole:

Classic Romaine - with a "best-if-used-by (BIUB)" date of September 23, 2005 and a production code beginning with "B250."
American Blend - with a "best-if-used-by (BIUB)" date of September 23, 2005 and a production code beginning with "B250."
Greener Selection - with a "best-if-used-by (BIUB)" date of September 22, 2005, and a production code beginning with "B250."

In late September 2005 Minnesota Health Department officials began investigating cases of E. coli O157:H7 disease in Minnesota residents who ate prepackaged Dole lettuce purchased from at least four different Rainbow Foods stores in the Twin Cities area. Epidemiological investigation by the MDH and other health officials determined that an outbreak of E. coli 0175:H7 had occurred in Minnesota and was associated with Dole brand prepackaged salads sold at Rainbow Foods grocery stores in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area.

47 year-old Virginia Tierney of Brooklyn Park, MN purchased one of the recalled products from a local Rainbow store on September 21, 2005. On September 24, 2005, Tierney developed symptoms of E. coli O157:H7 infection and after passing blood in her stool was admitted to Mercy Hospital in Fridley, Minnesota where she remained for three days. Although improved, Tierney continues to have symptoms caused by her E. coli O157:H7 infection.

According to the Minnesota Department of Health, there have been 23 confirmed cases of E.coli infection associated with consuming prepackaged Dole salads purchased at Rainbow Foods stores in Minnesota. Of these, 12 victims have been hospitalized. The Minnesota Department of Health is investigating 7 other E.coli cases, all family members of the 23 individuals who have been confirmed as being part of this Minnesota E.coli outbreak.

Tierney is represented by lawyer Fred Pritzker, President of the Minneapolis law firm of Pritzker | Olsen, P.A.The firm represents foodborne illness victims in Minnesota and throughout the United States and is one of the few that specializes in such cases. Pritzker | Olsen, P.A. successfully represented several Minnesota E. coli victims in the 2000 outbreak involving hamburger purchased at Cub Food Stores and is lead counsel for victims of the 2002 Northeast United States Listeriosis outbreak that killed 12 people and injured more than 50 others. The firm has collected millions of dollars on behalf of victims of foodborne illness and defective products.

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Foodbourne Illness Featured Topics

New York E. coli Outbreak

The Stew Leonard’s store in Yonkers, New York, has recalled 96% lean ground round because three people from one family have confirmed E. coli O157:H7 infections associated with consuming ground beef sold at the store. Read the press release regarding the Stew Leonard's ground beef recall and E. coli lawsuit information.

Dole Recall of Bagged Lettuce Salad

Dole Fresh Vegetables, a division of Dole Food Company, Inc., has announced a recall of "Dole Hearts Delight" salad sold in the U.S. and Canada with a "best if used by (BIUB)" date of September 19, 2007, and a production code of "A24924A" or "A24924B" stamped on the package.

Shaw's Ground Beef Recall

The FSIS has announced a recall involving about 884 pounds of ground beef that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7. The ground beef was sold at Shaw's grocery stores in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont.

Listeria: Jensen's Smoked Salmon Spread Recall

On September 8, 2007, Jensen's Old Fashioned Smokehouse Inc. recalled two smoked salmon spread products because they may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

Listeria: Organic Raw Cream Recall

The California Department of Food and Agriculture has announced an organic raw cream recall due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. Read more about the organic raw cream recall.

Kroger Potato Salad Recall

The Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) is advising consumers not to consume Kroger brand Mustard or Southern-Style potato salad with a "Best If Used By" date of Sept. 5, 2007, because it may contain E. coli O157:H7.

Metz Fresh Spinach Recalled - Salmonella Risk

Metz Fresh, LLC has recalled bagged spinach as a result of a positive test for Salmonella found during routine company testing. The recalled Metz Fresh spinach bears the tracking codes 12208114, 12208214 and 12208314. It was distributed in the continental United States and Canada.

Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Arby's

Grant County Health District and their regional epidemiologist, with cooperation from the Washington Department of Health, have linked some of the reported 17 cases of Salmonella Senftenberg in the county to the Arby’s Restaurant on Stratford Road in Moses Lake, Washington.

Baby Carrots Recalled - Possible Shigella

Los Angeles Salad Company has recalled baby carrots that were distributed and sold in Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Tennessee, and Washington. The recalled baby carrots may be contaminated with Shigella.

Acme Smoked Salmon Recall

Acme Smoked Fish Corporation has recalled 132 lbs of 4 oz. Smoked Salmon (Acme NY Original) and 114 lbs of 8 oz. Smoked Salmon (Acme NY Original) due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. This product was distributed to retail stores in the South Florida Region.

Listeria Recall: Regal King Seafood Dips

The FDA has announced the recall of Regal King seafood dips due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. The seafood dips were sent to A & P warehouses in 5-pound packages, repackaged, and sold at A & P stores in clear plastic containers with a Regal King label.

Listeria in Neparovana Smoked Sausage

The New York State Department of Agriculture is warning consumers that Neparovana smoked sausage may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The potentially-contaminated Neparovana smoked sausage was sold in bulk at Muncan Food Corp, 676 Seneca Avenue, Ridgewood, Queens.