To date, 32 people in 18 states have CDC-confirmed cases of E. coli O121 in an outbreak linked to Farm Rich frozen snacks sold at Walmart, Food 4 Less, Kroger, Safeway and hundreds of other stores throughout the United States: Alabama (1), Arkansas (1), California (1), Colorado (1), Florida (2), Illinois (2), Indiana (2), Michigan (3), Mississippi (1), New York (4), Ohio (4), South Dakota (1), Texas (3), Utah (1), Virginia (1), Washington (1), and Wisconsin (2).
These 32 people were first sickened from December 30, 2012 to April 2, 2013. Many of these are still recovering, particularly the two children who developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a potentially fatal complication that causes kidney failure and a host of other serious health problems.
The CDC provided these statistics:
Ill persons range in age from one year to 75 years, with a median age of 17 years. Eighty-one percent of ill persons are 21 years of age or younger. Fifty-six percent of ill persons are female. Among 26 persons with available information, 9 (35%) reported being hospitalized.
If you or your child was sickened in this outbreak, our E. coli lawyers can help you protect your legal rights. Below are five things our lawyers do to protect the legal rights of E. coli victim and his or her family after an outbreak of illness:
- Determine all legally responsible (liable) parties;
- Take measures to make sure the manufacturer does not destroy or alter any evidence;
- Gather and analyze all evidence, including the epidemiological and microbiological evidence;
- Send a demand letter seeking compensation for the victim and, in many cases, the family; and
- go to trial when necessary (most cases settle).
You can contact attorney Fred Pritzker or another lawyer on our E. coli Team for a FREE consultation regarding your case and a lawsuit against Rich Products, the manufacturer of the recalled Farm Rich frozen snacks.
