If you’ve been harmed by an unsafe food product, you should hire our national food safety law firm. Here’s why:
- We’ve represented thousands of people in foodborne illness cases. In virtually every national foodborne illness outbreak – wherever people are harmed by unsafe food products – we’re involved. Our level of experience and success is recognized throughout the United States.
- We’ve won many of the biggest verdicts and settlements ever received in foodborne illness cases. For example, our firm’s recent $7.5 million verdict in a case involving E. coli O157:H7 and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) holds the record for being the biggest verdict of its kind in U.S. history.
- In cases involving major foodborne pathogens (Campylobacter, Clostridium botulinum, E. coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes, Norovirus, Salmonella, Shigella, Vibrio vulnificus, and Hepatitis A) we’ve won hundreds of millions of dollars for our clients. In fact, our firm has won over 75 separate million and multi-million dollar cases for our clients, many involving foodborne illness.
- We make a positive difference in the lives of our clients. You can contact our law firm using the form below.
If you have questions or concerns, read a message from attorney Fred Pritzker about food safety lawsuits.
5 High-Risk Foods
1. Raw Milk and Products Made from It
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned consumers about the dangers of raw milk. Our law firm has represented people sickened by raw milk contaminated with Campylobacter and Listeria monocytogenes. These dangerous bacteria caused severe injury to our clients, including paralysis and meningitis. We also represented several people sickened by raw milk cheese products contaminated with E. coli and Listeria, and the families of people who did not survive these illnesses. Attorney Fred Pritzker, our founding partner, lost his mother in one of the outbreaks linked to cheese made with raw milk.
2. Raw Sprouts
Many restaurants have stopped serving sprouts unless they are cooked. Raw sprouts can be found in grocery stores. There have been a number of outbreaks of illness linked to sprouts. Pathogens involved in these outbreaks have included E. coli, Salmonella, and Shigella.
If an outbreak is linked to raw sprouts served at a restaurant, those sickened may have the right to sue the restaurant, the sprouts grower, processor, and the supplier. If the outbreak was linked to grocery store sprouts, those sickened may have the right to sue the grower, processor, and supplier, but there may not be a claim against the grocery store. It will depend on the facts of your case.
3. Raw Eggs
Salmonella bacteria can be on both the outside and inside of eggs that are uncooked or under-cooked. These contaminated eggs will generally look normal and will not taste or smell bad, but if they are eaten, they can cause severe illness. For example, an outbreak of Salmonella linked to eggs in 2010 sickened 3,578 people.
For very young children, the elderly, and people with compromised immune systems, always cook eggs until both the white and yolk are firm. For recipes containing eggs mixed with other foods, cook the dish to an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C). In addition, wash and disinfect all areas in the kitchen that may have come into contact with raw eggs.
4. Raw Oysters
Raw oysters can be contaminated with Vibrio, a bacteria that cause vibriosis. This infection can very often cause sepsis. Sepsis is fatal about 50 percent of the time. Those most at risk for this infection are people with liver disease, cancer, or another immune-compromising condition. People with a compromised immune systems should avoid raw oyster bars.
5. Under-cooked Meat and Poultry
Meat and poultry can be contaminated with Campylobacter (poultry), E. coli, or Salmonella. Outbreaks are most often caused by processed meat products, including ground beef. Heat kills any bacteria. For a list of the minimum cooking times for meat, fish, and poultry, see the the table on foodsafety.gov.
In the video below, Fred Pritzker, a national food safety lawyer, discusses these high-risk foods.
Attorney Fred Pritzker can be reached at 1-888-377-8900. Fred represents clients in personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits against food companies, restaurants, and others responsible for food poisoning.
High-Risk Groups
Our attorneys represent food poisoning victims throughout the United States. Some of our clients have suffered severe injuries, including total paralysis, kidney failure, brain damage, colitis requiring a colostomy, and pancreatitis. As a result, our attorneys have become food safety advocates. To contact one of our attorneys please call us at 1-888-377-8900 (toll-free) or fill out our online consultation request form.
Government agencies provide valuable food safety resources. Below are food safety booklets published by the USDA:
Below is an additional resource:
Proper food safety standards are the first line of defense against food-borne illness in the U.S. The food safety regulations laid out by the government require a minimum standard to be followed by the people who make and prepare our food. For the most part, the standards now in place provide a solid foundation for food safety. But there is always room for improvement. Writing letters to your elected representatives stating your support of strict safety standards will help keep our food safe.
While strict standards are crucial to food safety in the U.S., they are nearly worthless without adequate food safety enforcement. The U.S. has a substantial enforcement system to help ensure safety, but much of the burden of enforcing standards is left to the people who make or prepare the food. And, although there are stiff penalties for failure to maintain proper food safety, in some cases the penalties do not seem to be stiff enough. Many of the food recalls and outbreaks of food-borne illness seem to be connected time and again with the same companies. In other words, these firms are not properly enforcing safety standards, and the penalty for enforcement failure is insufficient motivation to maintain safety. You can write to your elected representatives to tell them you believe enforcement agencies should be granted larger budgets and greater powers to keep our food safe. And let them know that you think the price of endangering the food supply should be too high to stay in business.
You Can Contact Our Law Firm
If you or someone you love has become seriously ill due to a foodborne illness, contact Pritzker Hageman law firm for a free consultation. You can call us toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or submit our online form.
Read a message from Fred Pritzker about food safety lawsuits.