Attorney Fred Pritzker and his Bad Bug Law Team are representing several victims of the hepatitis A outbreak linked to pomegranate seeds in Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend, frozen mixed berries sold at Costco stores. Fred has clients who were hospitalized, some of them for several days with liver problems. To date, 55 of the hepatitis A victims have been hospitalized.
You can contact Fred and his team for a FREE consultation here regarding a lawsuit against Costco and Townsend Farms.
At least 127 people have been confirmed to have become ill from Hepatitis A after eating ‘Townsend Farms Organic Anti-oxidant Blend in 8 states: Arizona (17), California (64), Colorado (25), Hawaii (7), New Mexico (5), Nevada (5), Utah (2), and Wisconsin (2).
People from ages 2 to 84 have been sickened in this outbreak , most of them women, 58%. 6 children under age 18 also contracted hepatitis A infections.
The dates of onset of illness range from 3/31/2013 – 6/15/2013.
Hepatitis A Outbreak Investigation
On June 3, 2013, Townsend Farms, Inc. of Fairview, Oregon, recalled Organic Antioxidant Blend sold at Costco and Harris Teeter; however, all of the people sickened in this outbreak ate berries purchased at Costco. The inspection of the Townsend Farms processing facilities continues, but at this time, all evidence points to pomegranate seeds from Turkey as the source of the outbreak.
Prompted by this finding, on June 26, 2013, Scenic Fruit Company recalled certain lots of Woodstock Frozen Organic Pomegranate Kernels. The FDA reviewed records and determined that the pomegranate seeds from this shipment were the only ingredient common to all of the recalled Townsend Farms and Harris Teeter Organic Anti-Oxidant Blend.
Combining information gained from the FDA’s traceback and trace forward investigations and the CDC’s epidemiological investigation, it has been determined that the vehicle for the Hepatitis A virus is a common shipment of pomegranate seeds from Turkey used by Scenic Fruit Company in making the recalled Woodstock Frozen Organic Pomegranate Kernels and by Townsend Farms in making Townsend Farms Organic Anti-Oxidant Blend.
The FDA is testing the Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend berries linked to this outbreak for the hepatitis A virus.
Can Hepatitis A Victims Sue Costco and Townsend Farms?
Yes, they can and have. Several lawsuits have been filed, most in California, but also in Arizona and Colorado. By the time this is over, there will most likely be lawsuits filed in every state involved in this outbreak. Some attorneys are not suing Costco, but Fred and his team are suing both Costco and Townsend Farms. You can contact Fred for a FREE consultation regarding this and join other hepatitis A victims in holding both Costco and Townsend Farms accountable.
