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Pizza Ranch Lawsuit - Hepatitis A

Pizza Ranch Lawsuit and Hepatitis A Information: If you ate at the Pizza Ranch in Slayton, Minnesota, between  April  20 and May 1, contact Pritzker | Ruohonen regarding a Pizza Ranch lawsuit.  We are a Minnesota personal injury firm with a concentration in the area of food poisoning litigation.  Fred Pritzker has a national reputation in the area and has been interviewed by the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and other publications.  Please call toll-free at 1-888-377-8900, e-mail Fred Pritzker or submit the Pritzker | Ruohonen online consultation form. 

As of May 7, 2007, there are four confirmed cases of hepatitis A in this outbreak: three among food workers and one in a patron of the Pizza Ranch in Slayton, MN. Two public immune globulin (IG) clinics were held in Slayton, Minnesota last Friday and Saturday. IG shots were given to 2,289 individuals. No more public IG clinics are planned. 

Below is the May 3, 2007, Minnesota Department of Health News Release regarding possible hepatitis A exposure of the patrons of the Pizza Ranch in Slayton, Minnesota.  Pritzker | Ruohonen is reprinting it here, with comments, as a public service.

Minnesota Department of Health News Release: Health officials investigate hepatitis A cases in southwestern Minnesota- Some patrons of Pizza Ranch restaurant in Slayton may have been exposed
 
May 3, 2007 - The Minnesota Department of Health is investigating two cases of hepatitis A in food workers at the Pizza Ranch restaurant in Slayton Minnesota.  [These two food workers could have infected thousands of people.  According to this news release, Pizza Ranch serves about 800-1000 meals per week.  Call 1-888-337-8900 (toll-free) if you want to speak with an attorney about your legal rights after being exposed to hepatitis A.]  

The restaurant closed voluntarily May 1 as a precaution after the illness was confirmed in one food worker.

MDH and local public health staff are working to determine if other employees have hepatitis A and to what extent, if any, the disease may have been transmitted to patrons of the restaurant. Several suspect cases among employees are being tested for hepatitis A and results of those tests may be known as early as Thursday.

“We are concerned that some patrons of the restaurant may have been exposed to the virus through contaminated food,” said Dr. Ruth Lynfield, state epidemiologist for MDH. “MDH is working with the local public health department to prevent additional cases.”  [Hepatitis A is spread via food when an infected food handler does not wash his or her hands well enough.  If you are diagnosed with hepatitis A after eating at the Pizza Ranch in Slayton, Minnesota, you ate an infected food handler's feces that had gotten into your food.  Call us about a Pizza Ranch lawsuit--1-888-377-8900 (toll-free).]

Restaurant patrons could have been exposed between April 9 and May 1, 2007. Symptoms from those exposures typically would begin 2 to 7 weeks (most likely occur 3 to 4 weeks) following exposure, between April 23 and June 19, 2007.

Lyon Lincoln Murray Pipestone County Public Health Services is planning a clinic to provide immune globulin (IG) to people who ate at the Pizza Ranch restaurant, or at events catered by that restaurant, between April 20 and May 1, 2007. IG can be given within 14 days of exposure to the hepatitis A virus to provide protection against developing the infection. The clinic will be promoted by local news media as soon as details are known.  [If you have to get an immune globulin shot, contact Pritzker | Ruohonen about a Pizza Ranch lawsuit--1-888-377-8900 (toll-free).]

The restaurant serves 800-1,000 meals per week; therefore, a large number of people could have been exposed. People exposed prior to April 20 no longer can benefit from receiving IG, but could develop hepatitis A in the coming weeks.

Hepatitis A is an infection of the liver caused by the hepatitis A virus (HAV), but does not result in a chronic infection. Adults generally experience some acute symptoms, particularly headache, fever, tiredness, loss of appetite, and nausea. Dark (tea or cola-colored) urine, light-colored feces (stool), and yellowing of eyes or skin (jaundice) may appear a few days later. Young children generally do not have symptoms. Rarely, hepatitis A can lead to very severe liver disease. Most people who have hepatitis A get well on their own after a few weeks, but may need to rest in bed for several days or weeks.
People who are concerned about possible symptoms should consult with their health care provider.

Read more about hepatitis A.


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