Yes, you can sue Garden of Life LLC for a Salmonella Virchow infection from RAW Meal brand organic Shake & Meal if your illness can be linked to the product. Contact our law firm about a lawsuit against the company for money damages, which can include amounts for pain and suffering, medical expenses, lost wages, and other losses. Attorney Eric Hageman is our lead Salmonella lawyer.
CDC Confirms Outbreak Linked to Garden of Life Products
Today, the CDC issued a report confirming the link between certain Garden of Life LLC products and 11 cases of Salmonella Virchow from 9 states: Minnesota (2), New Jersey (2), New Mexico (1), Ohio (1), Oklahoma (1), Oregon (1), Tennessee (1), Utah (1), and Wisconsin (1). The 11 people, ages 8 to 76, first showed symptoms of Salmonella food poisoning (salmonellosis) from December 5, 2015, to January 21, 2016. One person was hospitalized, but all of them suffered severe pain.
The epidemiologic and laboratory evidence available at this time suggest that RAW Meal Organic Shake & Meal products made by Garden of Life, LLC are a likely source of this outbreak, according to the CDC. This investigation is ongoing.
Epidemiological evidence included interviews with people sickened in the outbreak. They answered questions about foods eaten and other exposures in the week before they became ill. “Of the 10 ill people who were interviewed, 10 (100%) reported consuming powdered supplements or meal replacements powders in the week before illness onset; all 10 (100%) specifically reported consuming RAW Meal products made by Garden of Life, LLC.”
Salmonella Found in 2 Packages of Garden of Life RAW Meal
To date, health officials have found Salmonella in 2 packages of Garden of Life RAW Meal products:
- On January 31, 2016, the Utah Public Health Laboratory reported it isolated Salmonella from an open container of Garden of Life RAW Meal collected from an ill person’s home.
- On February 1, 2016, Oregon health officials also reported Salmonella was isolated from an open container of Garden of Life RAW Meal collected from an ill person’s home.
DNA “fingerprinting” is being conducted for both samples to determine the PFGE pattern of the Salmonella isolated from this product. Results will be reported when they become available. PFGE is “pulsed-field gel electrophoresis,” a process that separates bands of DNA into a distinct pattern, referred to as a PFGE pattern. If Salmonella isolates from 2 or more people have matching PFGE patterns, they were sickened by the same source and are part of an outbreak of illnesses. If a Salmonella isolate from a food product has the outbreak PFGE pattern, it is solid evidence that the product was the source of the outbreak.
This is all evidence that can be used in a lawsuit for compensation. Our Salmonella lawyers have successfully handled many cases like this and won millions for their clients in lawsuits against large corporations. You can contact our law firm to find out if you can sue. Use our free consultation form or call 1-888-377-8900 (toll-free). We handle cases throughout the United States. Generally, we file individual suits and not class action lawsuits. You can talk to Eric or another attorney about this.
Recall of RAW Meal Products
Garden of Life LLC recalled some of its RAW Meal Organic Shake & Meal products in the following flavors because they have the potential to contain Salmonella Virchow, according to the FDA:
- Chocolate
- Original
- Vanilla and
- Vanilla Chai.
According to Garden of Life, no product has ever tested positive for the presence of Salmonella. However, as stated above, health officials have found Salmonella in 2 open containers found in the homes of people sickened in the outbreak.