Personal Injury and Wrongful Death

DeFusco's Zeppoles Salmonella:
Lawyer for Investigation and Lawsuit

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Zeppoles SalmonellaAttorney David Szerlag is available for a free consultation regarding a DeFusco's Zeppoles Salmonella lawsuit in Rhode Island. He is part of the Salmonella litigation team at Pritzker Olsen and is a member of the Rhode Island Bar Association. He recently was one of the lead attorneys in multidistrict litigation (MDL) that resulted in a multimillion dollar settlement for people injured by a defective product. MDL is like a class action lawsuit. David was one of three attorneys who oversaw the process for dozens of attorneys throughout the United States.

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Our Salmonella attorneys are investigating an outbreak of Salmonella associated with eating zeppoles from DeFusco's Bakery in Rhode Island. Seventeen people have been hospitalized and all of the victims suffered financial losses, pain and suffering, emotional distress and other damages.

The Rhode Island Department of Health (HEALTH) has received reports of 78 people who were sickened, with a common characteristic among many as having consumed zeppoles from DeFusco’s Bakery. Twenty-nine of the people were hospitalized and 42 have laboratory-confirmed cases of Salmonella. Two people died. Read about a Salmonella wrongful death lawsuit.

Eleven residents of the West Shore Health Center, a Warwick nursing home, fell ill. Seven of the West Shore residents were so infected with Salmonella they needed hospitalization. All of the sickened residents ate zeppoles from DeFusco's Bakery in Johnston, Rhode Island. This is solid epidemiological evidence that the cause of the Salmonella poisoning is consumption of zeppole pastries.

Health officials are testing food and environmental samples for Salmonella contamination. Positive human, food and environmental tests are microbiological evidence of the connection between the cases of Salmonella food poisoning and the zeppole pastries.

Both the epidemiological evidence and microbiological evidence can be used in a lawsuit against DeFusco's Baker and others. Most Salmonella food poisoning lawsuits seek compensation for victims based on the following legal claims:

  • strict liability
  • negligence
  • breach of warranty.

According to HEALTH, there is evidence of negligence on the part of DeFusco's Bakery:

Pastry shells from DeFusco's had been stored in used egg crates, which could have exposed the shells to infected raw eggs. HEALTH's Office of Food Protection continues working to identify all bakeries that sold zeppoles made by DeFusco's and is also looking into the source of the eggs.

The possibly contaminated DeFuscos zeppoles were sold at the DeFusco Bakeries in Cranston and Johnston and also sold to American Bakery Supplies, a distributor in West Warwick. American Bakery Supplies distributed the pastries to the following:

  • Roch's Market in West Warwick
  • Meal Works in Coventry
  • Touch of Class Catering in West Warwick.

Meal Works (a catering company) served these zeppoles at events on March and 18 at West Warwick Manor Senior Center, St John and Paul Church in Coventry, Sparrow Point (senior facility) in West Warwick, and Crescent Park Manor in Riverside.

Zeppoles from DeFusco’s Johnston store were also sold at all DeFusco’s locations; Colvitto’s Bistro in Narragansett; Sal’s Bakery in Providence; and Focaccia World in Johnston. All five Crugnale Bakery locations in Providence, East Providence, North Providence, Cranston, and Cumberland also sold DeFusco’s zeppoles from March 16 through March 20.

During this investigation HEALTH also discovered unsafe food storage practices at Buono's Bakery in Providence. Their zeppole, cream puff, and éclair shells were also stored in used egg crates, which could lead to contamination from raw eggs. People are advised to immediately discard all baked goods from any DeFusco's ; zeppoles from any of the above locations; and zeppoles, cream puffs, and éclairs from Buono's Bakery in Providence.

If you contracted a Salmonella infection (salmonellosis) after eating zeppole, you may have a claim for money damages against the De Fusco's Bakery and others. Contact Attorney David Szerlag for a free consultation.

 


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