The first lawsuit has been filed on behalf of victims of the Salmonella outbreak linked to eating at Old Country Buffet in Maple Grove, Minnesota. Deantrie Adams and his young child are being represented by our law firm.
On or about January 25, 2014, Mr. Adams dined at Old Country Buffet in Maple Grove, Minnesota with his minor son L.A. The lawsuit alleges that the food they consumed that day was contaminated with the Salmonella Enteritidis bacteria and “wholly unfit for human consumption”.
On or about January 27, 2013, Mr. Adams and his minor son L.A. began to suffer symptoms of Salmonella, specifically severe abdominal pain and diarrhea. They required medical treatment and tested positive for Salmonella Enteritidis.
The Minnesota Department of Health performed sophisticated genetic testing on Salmonella samples from Mr. Adams and L.A. From this testing, they determined that the Salmonella Enteritidis that caused the illnesses of Mr. Adams and L.A. was genetically indistinguishable from the illness-causing bacteria isolated from other individuals who also ate at Old Country Buffet in Maple Grove, Minnesota, in late January.
As of February 21, 2014, the Minnesota Department of Health has identified at least 23 individuals that suffered Salmonella Enteritidis infections from eating at the Maple Grove, Minnesota Old Country Buffet in late January, 2013. At least 11 individuals, including Deantrie Adams and L.A., have tested positive for a genetically indistinguishable strain of Salmonella Enteritidis.
When Salmonella bacteria is ingested by humans, it can cause severe gastroenteritis called salmonellosis. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. Headache, myalgia, and low-grade fever may also accompany this disease. Salmonellosis can be particularly dangerous to children.
Long-term health issues in individuals who suffer from salmonellosis are well documented, including reactive arthritis (Reiter’s syndrome), inflammatory bowel syndrome, and immunological deficiencies.